MIL did it....she was raised in Italy. I don't recall, but I think it was either for good luck or to ward off evil spirits.

Raechel Ray does that. I think she is Italian too. Kind of a charming little superstition. I can't think of anything I do. Dottie

Seems to me that spilling salt is supposed to be bad luck...so to counteract the bad luck, you sweep some of it up and toss it over your left shoulder. Did you throw yours over your left or right?

My mother did it...I do, too!

I've always done that. I think it is because in olden times, salt was precious and if you spilled any, you tossed a little over your shoulder for good luck.

I'm so darned strange anyway. One of the things I do is make a wish on loads of hay. When I was a kid, we'd see someone hauling hay, and we'd say, "Load of hay, load of hay, take my wish and go away." I live in the country and a lot of hay is grown around here. Every time I see someone hauling hay, that little rhyme comes to mind.

I think it is something about throwing salt in the eyes of the little devil on your left shoulder.

My Mother said spilling salt is bad luck, and to bring good luck throw a pinch of salt over your right shoulder. My Mom is 87, of mixed European origin, French and German.

Marilyn, I heard about wishing on a hay truck, too.
And my friend says if you see a car with one headlight out, you should kiss your husband.
We have done the "salt over the shoulder" thingy, too.
Recently DH and I were in a small restaurant and he spilled the salt when he tipped over the shaker. So, he gets a pinch of salt to toss over his left shoulder and promptly knocks over his water glass.
We laughed but I don't think the bus person was as amused.

Before opening a can of pop I always tap on the top three times. I can't even remember why I do it, but I always do.

My DD taught me that trick when she was in high school......I bet she learned it when all the kids got caught at the beach drinking beer.
Of course she denied it. LOL

I'm right handed but I had poured the salt into my left hand so that's the hand I used to just toss it back. It was completely without reason or thought.

I've seen my sis tap the soda pop also! How odd that she also does that!

A lot of people tap on the top of cans, theory being it releases pressure and won't spray all over. I've shaken many a can for people, and seems to be the same results for tappers and non-tappers.

My mother had a couple quirks. The road into our cabin was a dirt trail for many years before a new road was put in. When it would get wet, it'd get slippery, there'd be ruts and it's through the woods so not many options to go a different path - just wind through those trees and some were close and driving a big old DeSoto, the squeezes could be tight. When we'd be in the car and start spinning the wheels or something she'd start rocking back and forth to give a little oomph to the car I suppose. Plus the "keep your tongue straight in your mouth" going through those trees.

I probably do things people think are strange but can't think of anything that's out of the ordinary.

Carol In CA, my hubs & I did that when we were dating,,,if we saw a car with one headlight out, we called it a Fadidle and I had to kiss him.
Cynic, maybe your Mom told you to keep your tongue straight in you mouth because of a rough road and you would bite it, if jarred from the car bouncing. Your Mom sounds like my Aunt Veneta, when she drove us to her cabin, up north. Dottie

I first heard the tale of one headlight out from Sue (Iowa girl attending Cornell) when we were dating - she called it an "Iddle-biddle".

Was it when driving around town ... or en route to Iowa after school, before her summer work-assignment began, to visit her folks?

The consequence was as indicated.

I've heard of the salt over the (left? I think so) shoulder to bring good luck ... but I don't recall whether it was after some problem had developed.

ole joyful