15 Creepy Texas Superstitions That Might Actually Be True

Old Texas “Stupid-stitions” That Just Won’t Die

Spring always stirs up old memories, and in my house, that means my wife starts sharing the sayings and superstitions her grandparents swore by. Most came from her grandpa, a true West Texas farmer-rancher, and while some might have a little science behind them, others are what I lovingly call “Stupid-stitions.” Or, are they?

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Naming Your Dinner Is Bad Luck

One of the first “rules” I ever heard: Don’t name it if you plan to eat it. The belief was that once you gave an animal a name, you’d never be able to harvest it, and if you did, the meat would spoil.

Her grandpa was living proof that this might be true. He named every cow he owned, and let’s just say the beef business wasn’t his strong suit. Chickens, though? That man could raise them like nobody’s business, and Grandma could turn them into a meal fit for royalty.

Life on the Land

Her grandparents grew almost everything they ate. The only store-bought items were ketchup, mayonnaise, and milk (since they didn’t have dairy cows). My own grandparents were “in-town farmers,” a couple of goats, a hog, and a cow in the backyard. And yes, we had our own list of superstitions we never dared break, because I’d seen enough of them come true to keep my mouth shut.

Ten Texas Superstitions That Still Linger

Whether you believe in them or not, these sayings have been passed down for generations:

• A brass cowbell keeps the witches away.
• A cow with a white face is a good sign.
• Spit on your seeds before planting for good luck.
• Seeing a spider in the morning means good fortune.
• Never put your hat on the bed, it brings bad luck.
• If your rooster crows at night, bad weather is coming.
• Whistling indoors attracts ghosts.
• A black cat crossing your path is bad news.
• Sweeping after dark sweeps away your luck.
• Plant during a waxing moon for tall crops.
• A bird flying into your house brings good luck.
  Source: Wide Open Country

Spitting Your Way Out of Bad Luck

My mom and grandma had their own “emergency fix” for bad omens. If a black cat or buzzard crossed our path, they’d roll down the car windows and make us spit three times out the window to kill the bad luck. And you know what? I think it worked.

Whether you call them traditions, superstitions, or plain old “stupid-stitions,” these bits of Texas folklore connect us to a time when people trusted the land, the weather, and sometimes just their gut.