Eyelashes are considered lucky due to a tradition stemming from 19th-century folklore centered around wishing.
The Folklore Behind Lucky Eyelashes
The idea of eyelashes being lucky originated in common folklore during the 1800s. The tradition involved these key steps:
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Finding a Fallen Eyelash: The process begins with discovering a naturally shed eyelash.
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The Wishing Ritual: The person would carefully place the fallen eyelash on the back of their hand.
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The Toss: They would then throw the eyelash over their shoulder while simultaneously visualizing their desired wish.
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The Test: The belief held that if the eyelash successfully flew off their hand, the wish had a chance of coming true. However, if the eyelash remained stuck to their hand, the wish was supposedly destined to fail.
Summary
In essence, the luck associated with eyelashes is rooted in the folklore tradition of making a wish upon a fallen lash. The success of throwing the eyelash over one's shoulder determines whether the wish will come true according to the old belief.
