An empty bottle left on the surface brings a lot of trouble - our ancestors thought so, and many contemporaries believe in it. There are various explanations for this sign.
The ancient Slavs did not have a rule to remove empty bottles from the table
Why can't you put empty bottles on the table?
There is no place for an empty bottle on the table, if only for the reasons that a tall vessel becomes unstable, it is easy to hurt it (especially in a drunken company).
If a fragile object falls to the floor and breaks, this will lead to unpleasant consequences.
Dark entities that live in broken glass will scatter throughout the space, and will affect people who are in the room. People will become aggressive and negative, which will provoke conflict. Often the bottles break at the moment when the evil spirit "asks for freedom."
The ancient Slavs did not have a rule to remove empty bottles from the table, since the containers for liquids were of a different shape (rectangular stable vessels never fell). In those days, on the contrary, empty containers were left on the table:
- as a symbol of abundance, to show, "Here's how much we can drink, how we can treat!";
- as a symbol of longevity;
- as a sign that among those taking part in the feast, no one will die in the near future. After all, "health" so much drunk.
The tradition of removing bottles began during the War of 1812. When the Cossacks visited Parisian taverns, they thought of hiding the bottles under the table in order to pay less.
In France, waiters billed by the number of empty containers on the table. Over time, the French began to count alcohol at the time of serving, and the tradition of removing empty containers from the table remained. A sign has taken root in the minds of people: "an empty bottle left on the table is an extra expense."
Folk signs about an empty bottle on the table
If an empty container lingers on the table, then in the near future there will be nothing to set the table. Here is what folk wisdom says:
- Empty containers of any kind, and bottles in particular, left on furniture, prophesies losses, ruin, poverty, hunger to the owners of the house.
- Any empty dirty dishes are considered a haven of evil spirits. To avoid trouble, superstitious people turn empty tableware and kitchen utensils upside down at night. And some still leave crossed wooden sticks on top.
- In vessels with a narrow neck, evil spirits live. This belief is associated with the sounds that a bottle makes when you blow into it or say something. For the same reason, superstitious people endowed the well with mystical properties. There was an opinion: if a person blows into an empty bottle or breaks it, then evil spirits will be free and scatter throughout the house.
- A nulliparous young lady is forbidden to sit next to furniture on which there is an empty bottle, because it is believed: this girl will not have children.
- An empty container draws out vital energy and strength (it is not said, however, from a person or from a house). But the container needs to be cleaned, closed. Previously, people were so afraid that bottles without liquid were immediately taken out into the street.
- Hussar belief: if the empty container remains on the table, one of the comrades will be missed at the next meeting of the company - he will die in the next battle.
- An empty bottle on the table during the feast is a hint that it is time for the guests to disperse. A good host instantly replaces an empty vessel with a full one. So a person not only demonstrates his material well-being, but also shows respect for friends. And the amount of prepared drinking supplies indicates how much the host values his guests.
Our people are distinguished by ingenuity and optimism, therefore, according to modern beliefs, traditions are mostly positive. Almost everyone knows that you can’t put an empty bottle on the table. But few are aware of the possibility of making a wish in an empty container.
If a company sits at the table and drinks wine, then the one who got the last portion of the drink from the bottle can tell his cherished desire to the empty vessel. After that, the container must be corked (at least with a folded napkin).
It is difficult to judge the veracity of such a sign (wishes made on a drunken head quickly disappear from memory). But why not experience the effect of belief during the next feast?
The observations of our ancestors help contemporaries to act correctly. To make the life of relatives and finances more wholesome, people follow signs, for example, remove empty containers from the table.
Many superstitions forbid doing certain things. One of them concerns why you can’t put an empty bottle on the table. There are several explanations for this situation.
Superstitious justification
The sign about an empty bottle on the table has several interpretations:
- You can not leave empty containers on the dining table, because this leads to family poverty. As a result, there will be no food in the house. For the same reason, empty salad bowls, plates and other utensils are not placed on furniture. This also leads to vacancy.
- If you store empty containers on kitchen surfaces, there will be no money in the family. This may be due to both problems at work and unforeseen expenses.
- You can not keep such items on the table due to the fact that otherworldly dark spirits will appear in empty dishes. Our ancestors believed that this is how an unclean force enters the house, which will destroy the energy of the residents of the house.
Sometimes this sign has another meaning: if the owners do not remove the empty bottle, they make it clear to the guests that it is time to go home. This situation indicates that soon one of the residents in the house will fall ill and all the savings will be spent on treatment.
Interpretation in terms of history
Zaporizhzhya Cossacks rarely stayed in one place for a long time. They were constantly on the road, so they often stopped at taverns and pubs. In those days, there was a law in France: a person must pay the bill depending on the number of empty bottles on the table.
The Cossacks came up with a way to pay much less. They just removed most of the empty containers. When it came time to pay the bill, it was less than expected.
Practical Understanding
It is necessary to remove empty containers due to the fact that it simply interferes with setting the table. It takes up a lot of space and interferes with people sitting at the table.
Empty bottles are fragile. There is no liquid in them that would make them stable, therefore, at the slightest shaking of the furniture, the empty container falls and breaks. As a result, the mistress of the house removes the pieces so that none of their guests get hurt, and the evening is ruined.
An empty container does not look aesthetically pleasing. She shows that the owners do not want to continue the feast and send the guests out. Educated people remove such containers from the table and put a full bottle. By this they not only show their prosperity, but also show respect for the guests. The more bottle changes there are, the more the owners value the arrival of guests.
negative omen
There is another explanation for the sign. An empty bottle on the table promises an imminent dead:
- in the days of the Slavs, all bottles from under alcoholic beverages were flat, so they did not break; they were not removed under the table, but left on its surface - this indicated that there would be no dead among the guests; several glasses had already been drunk for the health of those sitting at the table, with an increase in the number of bottles, the sign of the long life of the guests only increased its significance;
- now the bottles are oval, so putting them horizontally will not work; so as not to invite trouble and the imminent dead, empty bottles removed from the surface.
Conclusion
Thanks to the observations of our ancestors, we know what actions should not be done. To save the lives of relatives and their capital, people have learned to follow signs. Few people think about why this superstition appeared. Everyone knows that it is better not to do this, so they always remove empty containers from the table.
When the feast is in full swing and various drinks are pouring like water, sooner or later the bottles containing them become empty.
What do they usually do with empty bottles? They are treated differently, someone immediately removes them, and someone, pouring the contents into glasses or glasses, returns the empty bottle to the place from which he took it - to the table. And at the same moment, as a rule, among those sitting at the table there will definitely be at least one guest who will point out the infidelity of such a step, arguing that an empty bottle on the table is a bad omen. Indeed, almost everyone has heard that there is such a belief, but not everyone knows where it came from. So after all, why can't you put an empty bottle on the table? This sign has several explanations. Let's try to figure out what versions of this belief exist and whether it is worth sticking to them.
Why can't you put an empty bottle on the table, where did it come from? Historical version
There is a legend that the tradition of putting empty bottles under the table was born thanks to the Russian Cossacks. They brought it from France, where in 1812-1814. made a military campaign. In those distant times, alcohol was not paid for in the same way as it is now. The calculation of the amount for which alcohol was purchased was carried out at the end of the feast. And it was defined as follows: Parisian waiters counted the number of empty containers left on the tables. And then one day, one savvy Cossack came up with the idea of how you can save money and pay less. During the feast, a number of empty bottles were removed under the table, as a result of which the Cossacks did not have to pay for them. Thus, the answer to the question of why an empty bottle should not be placed on the table can be explained by a long tradition. Which seems to have worked out well.
Why can't you put an empty bottle on the table? Sign what does it mean?
Superstitious people explain their desire to quickly remove empty containers from the table by no means of tradition. They believe that the emptiness formed in the bottle is a bad sign, so to speak, not good.
When asked why you can’t put an empty bottle on the table, they will tell you several versions. According to one of them, emptiness attracts evil spirits. To leave an empty bottle on the table means to give the table under the power of the unclean. Another sign from the category of superstitions is the belief that if you leave bottles on the table, then the house will be empty and there will be no money. There is even a folk saying about this.
Church opinion
The church has a negative attitude towards superstitions. According to the clergy, belief in all sorts of signs is a manifestation of distrust in God, the substitution of true faith for a more accessible one that does not require any spiritual costs and work on oneself. Why can't you put an empty bottle on the table? What happens if a black cat suddenly crosses your path? These and many other questions should not arise from a true Christian. The need to believe in something is inherent in any human soul. Those who do not believe in God or believe in him insufficiently satisfy their need by paying attention to all sorts of signs and superstitions. It would seem that with the development of progress and general enlightenment, superstition should be relegated to the background, but this does not happen. We are witnessing the following picture: human society is mired in superstitions. And this is sad, because it testifies that there are very few truly believing people who trust God, and not some signs.
The practical side of the issue
Considering that we are not Russian Cossacks and no one will issue us an invoice, counting the number of empty bottles on the table, it is probably stupid to remove the container for these reasons. If you are not from the category of superstitious people because of your faith in God or simply disbelief in all sorts of nonsense, you will also not rush to clean the container under the table for fear of bringing trouble. But still, why can't you put an empty bottle on the table?
Everything is very simple. There is also a practical side to the issue. Empty containers on the table clutter up the space, it may look like a transparent hint to the guests that it is time for them to leave, and in general, a table with empty bottles, salad bowls, gravy bowls and other cutlery looks sloppy.
Why can't you put an empty bottle on the table? Choose for yourself the version that suits you best.
Most Russians never leave empty bottles on the table during the celebration. The history of the appearance of this sign has its roots in very ancient times.
Faktrum tells the reader why it is impossible to put an empty container on the table, and what kind of secret lies in the origins of this sign.
Where did the sign come from, and why you can’t put an empty bottle on the table
The most plausible version of the appearance of this superstition can be considered the story of the Cossacks in Paris. During the war of 1812-1814, some Cossack troops managed to visit the capital of France. Of course, they could not pass by foreign taverns, and often went there. The Cossacks drank a lot and with taste, and empty bottles were always left near the glasses. Upon learning that French waiters write out a check according to empty bottles, one Cossack had an idea. He and his comrades began to hide the bottles further away under the busy table. The waiter who came saw one or two bottles and only added them to the bill. Later, of course, the servants realized the trick of the Cossacks, and the empty bottles began to be taken away.
An empty bottle on the table - a sign of the dead?
In some cities and villages of Russia, they still believe that leaving an empty bottle on the table means calling death into the house. A long time ago, people believed that evil spirits could crawl into a bottle through the neck. Once in the vessel, she can harm the audience by making the entire table and dishes on it unclean.
Some of our ancestors did not remove the bottles under the table, but left them, but laying them horizontally. In ancient times, bottles were made not cylindrical, but flat, so they could be safely laid down. And each empty bottle left in this position next to the glasses meant that no one would die that day. Like, everyone drank to health - their own and each other's - which means that everyone will remain alive.
In addition to all this, people who lived in ancient times believed that an empty vessel left on the table bodes trouble in financial matters.
How in the USSR they interpreted the sign of an empty bottle on the table
"The empty bottle holiday table- to trouble, ”the Soviet citizens said and hid the container. And most often this was done during feasts in restaurants, where you could not come with your own alcohol. Cunning people still carried it with them in bags or coat pockets and spilled it, hiding it under the tablecloth. And in order not to be caught, the drunk bottle was placed on the floor closer to the table leg. So great was the chance that the waiter wouldn't notice.
Why do modern people remove empty bottles from the table
Our contemporaries believe less and less in omens and pay more attention to the practical side. For example, during a holiday, drunk people gesticulate more actively and reach for dishes. If an empty bottle remains on a table full of plates, then it may well be dropped. In order to prevent this and not wash the tablecloths from stains, practical Russians put the bottles with drunk contents away from the guests under the table.
There is also another aspect: when there are empty bottles on the table, there is nowhere to put full new ones. And many people also believe that the empty container on the table once again reminds you of how much you have already drunk. And from this it only gets worse, and the hangover is closer. In addition, a pile of empty bottles blocks the view of guests, it is more difficult to see each other. Well, in the end, leaving empty bottles in plain sight is simply indecent, this can show your desire, they say, so that the guests leave as soon as possible. It's better to say it out loud than to hint like that.
How many of us are bad folk signs! And they all have historical roots. Today we will talk about one of these, namely why you can’t put an empty bottle on the table. Few people thought about the meaning of such a habitual action - to remove the empty container from the table. Read below about the reasons behind this tradition.
Rationale
Each person, if he thinks a little, will understand why it is impossible to put an empty bottle on the table. After all, this is simply inconvenient. Feasts are usually violent, glasses break, plates fly (of course, this does not always happen). But this dish is not yet heavy. Now imagine that a hail of empty bottles will begin to pour from the table onto your feet. Well, firstly, you will get dirty, because the remnants of wine, champagne or other drinks will be on your clothes. And secondly, the chance of cuts and bruises is great. That is why you can not put an empty bottle on the table. Why did our ancestors put vessels for alcoholic drinks before, but they did not interfere with a fun holiday? Turning to history, it becomes clear that bottles used to have a flat shape. They, of course, could also be dropped, like an empty plate, but the probability of this was negligible. After the bottles took on an elongated shape, people decided that it was more prudent to leave empty containers under the table.
mystical rationale
Like all other beliefs, the sign of not putting an empty bottle on the table also has a superstitious meaning. Previously, it was believed that evil spirits start up in empty and dirty dishes. This, by the way, was one of the reasons why Russian families ate from one common pot, and not from personal plates. And dishes with a narrow neck were considered almost diabolical. Why? Yes, because before people did not know about the echo effect. For the same reason, our ancestors endowed the well with mystical meaning. It was believed that if a person blows into a bottle, he will expel all evil spirits from it, they will instantly scatter around the house. The same effect, according to superstitious people, could be achieved by dropping an empty container with a narrow neck.
There is another belief, according to which it is believed that an empty bottle takes away positive energy. It is not entirely clear where - from a person or from his house. But people believed in it, so they didn't want to share anything positive with an empty bottle. It used to get to the point that the owner of the house immediately took out the finished container to the street.
Cossack version
After the war with Napoleon, Russian Cossacks accompanied the royal delegation to Paris. In the evening, hungry visitors went to dine in a drinking establishment. They sat noisily and had a good rest. Wine flowed like water, and the table was bursting with snacks. According to Russian tradition, all empty bottles were put away under the table so that they would not interfere. When the time came to pay, the Cossacks were surprised that their bill was small. As it turned out later, in France the amount of wine drunk was calculated according to the number of bottles on the table. The Cossacks, armed with new knowledge, began to save well on alcohol. True, happiness did not last long. Soon the waiters began to notice the machinations of foreign people, and the number of bottles began to be counted not after consumption, but before serving.
There is another theory why you can not put an empty bottle on the table. She refers to the times Soviet Union. At that time, almost all men drank, but prohibition was introduced in cafes and restaurants. Representatives of the strong half of humanity quickly realized that if you can not put a bottle on the table, empty or full, then you can hide it under the table. And in advance, for conspiracy, it is desirable to put it in a bag or bag, and then the matter depended only on skill. While the waiter was absent, the men had time to drink more than one brought stash during the evening.
Many husbands did the same at home. Women have always disapproved of the drunkenness of their faithful. Therefore, it was impossible to leave an empty bottle on the table. You could get a cuff from your wife, and then listen to an hour-long lecture about a sober lifestyle. The men hid the empty bottles under the table and took them out with the garbage in the morning.
Do I need to put bottles under the table?
Today, many people do not believe in omens. Despite this, they are still guided by common sense. The sign that you can’t leave an empty bottle on the table has a certain logic. To make room or to avoid any embarrassing moments, glass containers are removed. But you need to remember that this is not the case everywhere. In a restaurant, for example, it is bad form to put bottles under the table. The empty vessels are taken away by the waiter. At a party, putting bottles under the table is also not accepted. Even if this frees up space, your neighbor can touch a glass container with his foot, and it will fly to the other side of the room with a piercing sound. This can create unnecessary turmoil and panic.
Other signs with empty bottles
Our people are so inventive and optimistic that modern beliefs, unlike similar beliefs of the last century, always carry positive emotions. For example, many people know the sign not to put an empty bottle on the table. But not everyone has heard about the tradition of making a wish in a glass container. If you drink wine in the company of friends, and the bottle runs out on one of the guests, then it is he who gets the right to tell the empty bottle about his most cherished dream. Whispering a few words, it needs to be clogged. This can be done with both a cork and a napkin. It is difficult to say how true this sign is, because most of the wishes made on a drunken head are forgotten in the morning. But this belief is good, positive, and most importantly, it is not difficult to test it in practice.
