Around the world, different cultures hold different beliefs and superstitions which gradually become symbols of good luck or bad luck. We can say that ‘Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs’ because they become a part of one’s life.
Today, although Germany is one of the most developed and advanced countries of the world, they too have their own sets of superstitions. Here’s one about birthdays.
When you run into a friend who has a birthday coming up, it’s only natural to wish that person a happy birthday in advance. In some parts of the world, however, your seemingly innocent wish is supposed to bring bad luck down on the birthday boy or girl.
In Germany, even wishing someone a happy birthday before the day of the event is bad luck. Just to be safe, some superstitious folks in that country don’t give children any gifts until the day after their birthday.
Whoever wishes someone a happy birthday before it is actually their big day, brings bad luck or even death. The earliest someone can wish you a happy birthday is when the clock strikes midnight on your big day.
Also related to this is the German phrase, “Nobody should praise the day before the evening”. Germans have a popular saying, known to guide this belief:
“Lob den Tag nicht vor dem Abend,
Das Schwert nicht vor der Schlacht,
Das Bett nicht vor der Nacht”
“Don’t praise the day before the evening, the sword before the battle, the bed before the night”; an old German superstition.
Don’t be too sure of things. The closest interpretation is probably the idea of a curse, or of tempting fate if you assume things will turn out a certain way before they have turned out that way. It’s safe to see things unfold by themselves.
