A common superstition passed down from generation to generation in my informant’s family was the danger of leaving a hat on top of a bed. If an individual were to leave a hat on his or her bed and leave the room then great bad luck would occur and the whole household would burst into outrage and anger. This happened to my informant once where he left his baseball cap on his bed after a long day of school. Nearly instantly, his mother was infuriated with him for what seemed to be no reason at all. My friend cleaned his room, took his hat off of his bed, and not even a minute later his mom came into the room with a glass of lemonade and apologized. 

The exact origin of the superstition that it’s bad luck to leave a hat on the bed is difficult to pinpoint, as variations of this belief can be found in multiple cultures with different historical backgrounds. However, one common theory suggests that this superstition is linked to the spread of illness. In the past, hats were commonly worn outdoors and could easily collect germs and dirt. Placing a hat on a bed, where people sleep, could potentially spread disease. This superstition might have practical roots in promoting cleanliness and health. Another perspective relates to the symbolic significance of the bed and the hat in various cultures. Beds are often seen as sacred spaces associated with rest, vulnerability, and intimacy. Hats, on the other hand, are seen as public garments associated with one’s social status and identity outside the home. Placing a hat on the bed could symbolically bring the outside world, with all its troubles and concerns, into a place of rest and sanctuary, thus inviting bad luck or negative energy.