Opening an umbrella in the house is supposed to bring bad luck

Opening an umbrella indoors is considered to bring bad luck.Photo byFlickr screenshot

Why is an open umbrella bad luck inside a building?

If you ever set an umbrella down indoors, had it malfunction, and opened on its own, you may have heard someone say you brought bad luck upon the house.

In Virginia, it was once common to listen to superstitions about opening a brolly (British for umbrella) inside a building. No one ever said why, but the superstition of umbrellas and misfortune has been passed down through generations without question.

Umbrellas used to be hugePhoto byFlickr screenshot

Do umbrellas invite trouble?

English class reveals that umbrellas during Victorian times used to be much larger, possibly like the parasols used on the beach or over lawn furniture. When a large umbrella is opened inside a home, it probably knocks things over and may break a few items, leading to folklore about mischance.

Jolly Brolly gives several theories about opening an umbrella inside a house or building. The first is that opening an umbrella indoors is offensive to the Egyptian Sun god Ra because there is no sunshine indoors.

There are many superstitions about umbrellasPhoto bySaffuonUnsplash

Superstitions surrounding umbrella's

A second theory is that because umbrellas protect you from the storms of life, you insult the spirits guarding your home when you open one, and your protection is removed.

Some people even believe that laying an umbrella on a bed or chair in your home brings misfortune and that if you drop your brolly, someone else should pick it up to prevent bad luck.