Why you can't pass things across the threshold: the history and meaning of superstition
People were afraid to pass anything across the threshold because they thought that the spirits of their ancestors lived there.
They buried the ashes of the dead in the threshold so that they would protect their home.
If someone passed an item across the threshold, they could anger the spirits or give them their happiness and wealth. They also risked ruining the item or their relationship with the person they passed it to.
So people either went outside or let people into their homes to hand over the item.
But not all superstitions associated with the threshold are negative.
For example, in some regions of Russia there is a tradition of carrying the bride over the threshold on her wedding day.
This is done to protect her from evil spirits that may be waiting for her on the threshold of her new home. It is also believed that carrying a child over the threshold the first time he comes to visit someone will bring him good luck and health.
Superstitions about passing things across the threshold are still alive in our society, although not as strong as in the past.
Many people continue to follow this rule out of respect for the older generation or out of habit.
However, there is no scientific evidence that passing things across the threshold can somehow affect a person's fate or their relationships with others. Therefore, everyone decides for themselves whether to believe in this superstition or not.
