Ship's Bells and Sailor Superstitions: Beautiful Furniture Sparks Engaging Conversation

Nautical-themed home decor is a must for any sea-loving person. From ship's bells to premium nautical furniture, you can decorate your home in a style that is reminiscent of a ship at sea. Your unique new decor is sure to spark a lot of conversation-why not impress your guests with an entertaining discussion about nautical superstitions? Check out these do's and dont's from some very superstitious sailors:

DO:

1. Pay your debts. It was believed that sailors who owed debts were the cause of storms and misfortune.

2. Take fashion cues from pirates. There is a reason for pirate's affinity toward piercings and tattoos.  Gold earrings were treated as a talisman, protecting seamen from drowning, while nautical tattoos were also thought to bring luck.

3. Spit in the ocean and throw coins. A spit in the ocean before sailing is said to be good luck. It's also a good idea to pay a little toll when leaving port.  Throwing coins into the sea is said to please the sea-god, Neptune, and pave the way for a safe voyage.

4. Put a horseshoe on the mast. A ship with a horseshoe on the mast will avoid storms.

5. Keep a cat on the ship. Sailors loved cats, as they were believed to bring good luck. In addition to luck, sailors believed cats could help predict the weather.  Cats licking fur against the grain predicted a hailstorm, a sneeze meant rain was coming, and friskiness foretold of strong winds.

6. Avoid redheads. Seeing a redheaded person before setting sail can bring bad luck to the journey. This bad luck can be avoided if you speak to the redhead first!

7. Watch your language. We've all joked about someone having a mouth like a sailor, but even a sailor avoids certain words. Drown, goodbye, and good luck are phrases never uttered by a sailor.

DON'T:

1. Throw that cat overboard. You know those lucky cats we just mentioned above? Well, they're lucky as long as you don't go throwing them overboard.  A at thrown overboard brings bad luck, storms, and perhaps even death.

2. Kill an albatross, sea-gull, or swallow. Sea birds were believed to be carrying the souls of dead sailors and while seeing one is good luck, killing one brings bad luck.

3. Cut hair or nails. Cutting hair or nails while at sea was considered an offering to Prosperine, the Roman goddess of the infernal regions, and would anger the sea-god, Neptune.

4. Change the name of a boat. It is bad luck to change the name of a boat, but if you absolutely must change it, there are certain policies to follow. First, write the ship's current name on a piece of paper. Then fold it and place it in a small wooden box. This box must be burned, and the ashes must be thrown into the sea during an outgoing tide.

5. Name your boat after an engaged woman, or with a name ending with an "a". It was believed that a ship could become "jealous" if named after an engaged woman, and it is bad luck to name a ship with a name ending in "a". Unless you particularly enjoy burning boxes and throwing ashes in the sea, steer clear of these names the first time!

6. Wear the clothes of a dead sailor. Wearing the clothes of a sailor that died during the voyage will bring misfortune on the entire ship.

7. Throw stones. When a stone is thrown from a ship, it is said that the ship will never return from its voyage.

8. Go left foot first. Never step on a ship with your left foot first, unless you are a fan of disaster...

9. Whistle. Whistling while aboard a ship is believed to bring about powerful storms. Hence the phrase, "whistling up a storm".

10. Bring bananas on board. Sailors have an overwhelming fear of bananas. There are many possible causes for this fear, from the disappearance of many ships in the 1700s carrying cargos of bananas, to the quick spoilage of bananas causing toxic fumes, to the banana bunches being home to a deadly type of spider.

Please feel free to contact us for the latest nautical styles that will give your home a unique, whimsical touch.