SUPERSTITIONS.BIZ
Superstitions from around the world . . . what brings good luck . . . what brings bad luck?
SUPERSTITION: TEA LEAVES
Description: Tea-leaves scattered on the front-door step of a new home will protect it from evil spirits; tea leaves can foretell the future.
Origin: England, Scotland, Ireland
In Wiltshire in England, it was bad luck to pour boiling water into an pot without putting tea leaves in first. In Ipswich, if the tea was weaker than intended, it meant a friend would turn away from you; but strong tea meant a new friendship was on the horizon.
If a single tea leaf was found floating in a Scottish cup, it was said 'there's a stranger in your tea.' A hard stalk meant a man would visit, a soft leaf meant a woman would call. The length of the 'swimming' leaf supposedly foretold the height of the visitor.