What you can't do in Ukraine: a guide to superstitions for foreigners

Traditional superstitions that have come from the depths of centuries continue to shape the unique face of Ukrainian culture. Learn how to respectfully immerse yourself in these customs while avoiding awkward situations

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People's love of superstition is as old as time. We can find many traditions and beliefs in different parts of the world: in France, people are afraid to put a baguette upside down, in Canada, sailors are warned against wearing grey gloves, and in Texas (USA), people believe that if you point your finger at a grave, your finger will rot. Ukraine is no exception in this sense: many Ukrainians not only know about these beliefs, but still listen to them to this day. Here are some of the most common Ukrainian ‘don'ts’ that a foreigner might encounter while travelling around the country.

Don't celebrate your 40th birthday

According to superstition, it is undesirable to celebrate a 40th birthday in Ukraine, especially for men. The number 40 is associated with death: on the 40th day after the deceased passed away, the body was checked and an important stage of mourning was completed. Some people believe that celebrating 40 years means ‘inviting’ trouble or binding the topic of death to oneself.

Don't sit in the corner

In traditional Ukrainian culture, the home was given sacred significance. Inside it, there were ‘good’ and ‘bad’ corners. The ‘good’ ones were decorated with icons, rushnyky (embroidered towels) and other amulets, while the ‘bad’ ones were left empty.

Over time, this belief spread to the corners of the table: it is believed that unmarried and single people should not sit in the corner, otherwise they will not be able to get married for a long time (or never). If you have plans for a quick wedding, it is better to choose a place away from the corner of the table!

Do not spill salt

In Ukraine, it is believed that spilling salt is a sign of a quarrel in the family. Since ancient times, salt has been a symbol of well-being and prosperity. People used to welcome dear guests with bread and salt, and if someone spilled salt carelessly, it was regarded as disrespectful and could lead to conflict.

In the world culture, salt has long been valued like gold. In the Christian tradition, it is associated with betrayal: in Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper, Judas has an overturned salt shaker in front of him. In the UK and the US, people try to ‘protect themselves’ by throwing a pinch of salt over their left shoulder, where the devil is believed to be.

Do not pass objects over the threshold

In Ukraine, there is a widespread belief that it is bad luck to pass anything over the threshold. If you come to visit with a gift or want to shake hands with the host, it is better to do it inside the house, not standing on the threshold.

It is believed that the threshold has long been a kind of border between the inner world (home) and the outside world. In ancient times, people could bury the ashes of their ancestors under the threshold to protect the house, and it was considered unacceptable to disturb them. Therefore, it was customary not to pass things over the threshold, and especially not to sit on it.

Don't come home halfway through a task

The roots of this belief also go back to the idea of the threshold as a border between two worlds. It is believed that if you return home without completing your plans, you will ‘knock down’ your luck and risk not completing your plans at all.

But there is a way to ‘zero out’ such a failure: look in the mirror. It is believed to restore a person's former positive energy and restore the mood for success. Interestingly, modern research indeed confirms that a sudden change of location (for example, returning home) sometimes disrupts the memory of the original task.

Don't eat with a knife

Some Ukrainians have a strong belief that eating food directly from a knife blade threatens to make you an angry and aggressive person. From a historical point of view, knives were made by blacksmiths, endowed with special mystical powers in the popular mind, and the object itself was considered a talisman against evil spirits.

Disrespectful handling of the knife (let alone eating with it) could ‘anger’ the otherworldly forces and transfer evil to humans.

On the practical side, it's even simpler: eating with a knife is traumatic, and as a result, you risk earning not only a bad name but also cuts.

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Do not whistle indoors

‘Don't whistle - no money!’ - is a phrase you can often hear from Ukrainian hosts. Many people believe that whistling indoors brings financial bad luck and ‘scares away’ money.

There is also a spiritual explanation for this belief: whistling allegedly attracts evil spirits who steal from those present. Echoes of similar beliefs can be found in other cultures (for example, in Greece or among sailors) - whistling is often associated with a challenge to supernatural forces or a call of trouble.

Take a seat before travelling

Before a long journey in Ukraine, it is traditionally customary to sit down for a while. This way, you seem to ‘fool’ the Householder, a domestic spirit who does not want to leave his home and will remain to guard the house. Another version is that you have a minute to calm down, concentrate and mentally say goodbye to your home.

From a practical point of view, the habit of ‘sitting down before the road’ helps you to relax a little, check if everything is packed, calm your thoughts and reduce the risk of forgetting something important. And statistics show that many domestic road accidents happen in the first few minutes after leaving the house, so a mini-pause can really be useful.

Don't take out the rubbish in the evening

There are several explanations for this belief. One of them is that taking out the garbage in the dark can look suspicious and cause gossip among neighbours. Another is that evil spirits are ‘activated’ at sunset and can enter the house after the person who left the house with the rubbish. And there's a trivial reason: it's dark and dangerous outside at night, so it's better to do household chores in daylight.

A watch is an unlucky gift

It is believed that giving a watch is a bad omen, because watches have sharp hands and can symbolically ‘count down’ the recipient's life. According to legend, this superstition came from China, where giving a watch could mean an invitation to a funeral.

However, in Ukraine, if the watch has already been given as a gift, you can ‘pay off’ the bad omen by giving the donor a coin. It is believed that in this case, you are ‘buying’ yourself a gift and the bad luck will pass you by.

You can't show another person's illness or injury

According to another superstition, Ukrainians believe that you should not depict or show another person's illnesses on yourself, otherwise they may ‘pass on’ to the person who does. For example, gesturing with a leg pain or cough in an attempt to recreate what is happening to someone else. It is believed that such facial expressions or gestures can ‘attract’ the ailment to the person who is showing it.

This is due to the idea that a person's words and actions have the power of materialisation. Simply put, ‘the more you say or show, the more you attract the phenomenon to yourself’. From a psychological point of view, a parallel can be drawn with the fact that excessive focus on the negative can make a person feel as if they themselves are beginning to experience symptoms or fall into an anxious state.

Speaking of health. Don't forget that travelling to Ukraine requires a careful approach to safety. Before travelling to the country, we recommend that you take out health insurance covering military risks. Trust trusted insurers, not superstitions!

Just a reminder! Emergency services in Ukraine play a key role in ensuring the safety of residents and visitors of the country, especially in the context of ongoing hostilities. Find out where to apply for prompt assistance and how to act in crisis situations while in Ukraine.

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