Red Night Sailors Delight...

My mother coming from Pennsylvania Dutch decent, learned very early on many superstitious sayings, and omens. She passed them onto us. I find myself repeating them to my daughters and grandchildren often. I hope that they keep them going as a tradition. It is important to keep traditions going in a family.

Here are a few:


Red night sailors delight, red morning sailors warning. This meant that if the sky was red at night the next day would have beautifully clear weather, but if it were red in the morning, there would be storms.


Four in a row crepe at the door. This meant that if you slept four in a row at the top of the bed, someone would die. Crepe at the door was a tradition of putting a wreath with a black crepe bow on the door of a home when a dead person was laid out in the living room.









For every stitch you sew on Sunday, you replace on Monday.

Never put new shoes on the table or you will have bad luck.

Always go out the door you came in to avoid bad luck.

Always place a penny in a wallet or purse when you give it as a gift, so the person will have good fortune.

Never accept a plant as a gift, give them a penny or the plant will not thrive.

Burn you hair clippings after a hair cut, do not allow them to be thrown outside because if a bird gets them and builds a nest you will have a head ache the rest of your life. This one came from Great Aunt Ree.

Always serve Sauerkraut and Pork on New Year's Day, and you will have good luck all year long.

During the Dog Days Of Summer, mid to late August you do not swim in a lake or pond, because of stagnation.















Never eat shell fish during any month that does not have an r in it, like May, June, July, and August.

Never put an umbrella over your head while you are inside.

I know that there are many more PA Dutch superstitions, but I know that first hand the red night sailors delight actually is a pretty good sign to bet on for nice weather the next day.