In the UK, cheese is more than a culinary delight, it’s a hub of quirky folklore, old wives’ tales and curious superstitions. Here are 10 cheese superstitions that are anything but cheesy!
Cheese Superstitions
Cheese at Bedtime Causes Nightmares
This cheese superstition exists in various parts of the world, including the UK. Some people believe that eating cheese before going to bed will lead to vivid or disturbing dreams.
Cheese and Newborns
In some parts of Britain, it was a tradition to present a new mother with a gift of cheese, called a “groaning cheese”, when her child was born. The baby was then passed through the large cheese wheel for good luck and protection.
Cheese Predicts Love
According to an old custom in England, a woman could place a bit of cheese under her pillow to dream of her future husband. This superstition was particularly prevalent on St Valentine’s Day.
Christmas Cheese
In Yorkshire, there’s a tradition that a piece of cheese should be left out on Christmas Eve to ensure good luck for the coming year.
Mice and Cheese Omens
The British once believed that if a mouse ate your stored cheese, it was an omen of financial troubles or scarcity in the household.
Cheese and Weather Prediction
Some farmers once believed that the way cheese curdled could predict the weather. If the curd was slow to set, it might indicate coming rain.
Throwing Cheese for Luck
In the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling Festival, participants chase a large wheel of cheese down a hill. It’s believed to have originated as a fertility rite or a way of ensuring a good harvest.
Marrying Cheeses
A little-known custom is the “marrying of the cheeses”. It was believed that if a farmhouse cheese was left alone in a storehouse, it would start to rot. So, another cheese would be placed beside it to keep it company and ensure it aged properly.
Whitsun Cheese
During Whitsun, the seventh Sunday after Easter, there was a tradition of distributing cheese to the poor. It was considered bad luck not to give out cheese during this time.
Cheese Rind Predictions
In some areas, the pattern of mould on cheese rinds was believed to predict future events or the outcome of a situation, similar to tea leaf readings.
Do you any Cheese Superstitions that we’ve missed? Tell us in the comments section below!