Why can't you put an empty bottle on the table? An empty bottle on the table, which is predicted by signs.

We all love holidays, we love guests, we love noisy feasts. And maybe you never even knew about this sign, but you always try to remove the empty bottle from the table. Have you ever wondered why?

“It’s not beautiful,” some of you will say.

“The table should be a full cup,” someone will add.

And you will, of course, be right.

And yet, there is such a sign: an empty bottle on the table means poverty. But we don’t want that, right?

Where did this sign come from?

As usual, there are several options.

So, option one.

It is connected with the story of how Russian Cossacks deceived French waiters. Once our Cossacks accompanied the highest tsarist officials to Paris. We stopped for a while and in the evening decided to go to dinner at a local restaurant. Our Cossacks are a noisy people. They sat down at the table and ordered themselves various dishes. Well, and booze, of course. They sat for a long time, ate deliciously, drank sweetly, and the empty bottles were removed from the table so that they would not interfere. At the end of the evening, when the waiter had paid them, the Cossacks noticed that no bill had been issued for the bottles that were under the table. This was immediately taken into account. The most clever ones managed to pay only for food, drinking several bottles of wine.

Of course, later, the French waiters realized their mistake and tried to remove the empty bottles themselves, in order to at least record what they were demanding money for.

Second option.

If you have ever been to Russian villages, you might have noticed that housewives always turn empty pots, jars, and cups upside down at night.

Some will say that this way everything dries faster after washing. This may be so, but popular belief says that there should not be empty dishes on the table. An evil spirit can settle in it. And empty bottles are a very convenient home, and even with a wine spirit.

Option three.

In the Soviet Union, since the middle of the last century, there was a ban on carrying alcoholic drinks take it with you to cafes and restaurants. But our people still managed to bring something with them in order to save money. All this was spilled under the table and immediately consumed so that the waiter would not notice the catch. At the same time, the bottle was placed under the table so as not to “shine.”

These are the explanations we have for this sign.

And for dessert. There is also such a sign that if you make a wish while holding an empty bottle in your hands, and then blow into it and cap it again, then the wish will accumulate over time and will definitely come true. But you still have to remove the bottle from the table.

I wish you that your table will always be a full cup. This means there is no place for an empty bottle on it.

When the feast is in full swing and various drinks flow like a river, sooner or later the bottles containing them become empty.

What do you usually do with empty bottles? They are treated differently, some immediately remove them, while others, having poured the contents into glasses or glasses, return the empty bottle to the place from which they took it - on 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 incorrectness 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 they are worth sticking to.

Why can't you put an empty bottle on the table, where did that 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, people paid for alcoholic drinks differently than they do now. The amount for which alcohol was purchased was calculated at the end of the feast. And it was determined like this: Parisian waiters counted the number of empty containers remaining on the tables. And then one day, one savvy Cossack came up with the idea of ​​how to save money and pay less. During the feast, a certain 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-standing tradition. Which, apparently, has taken root well.

Why can't you put an empty bottle on the table? What does the sign mean?

Superstitious people do not explain their desire to quickly remove empty containers from the table with traditions. They believe that the emptiness formed in the bottle is a bad sign, not good, so to speak.

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. Leaving an empty bottle on the table means handing over the table to the power of the unclean. Another sign of superstition is the belief that if you leave bottles on the table, the house will be empty and there will be no money. There is even a popular saying about this.

Church opinion

The church has a negative attitude towards superstitions. According to clergy, belief in all sorts of omens is a manifestation of distrust of God, the replacement of true faith with a more accessible one, which does not require any mental expenditure or 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 for a true Christian. The need to believe in something is inherent in every human soul. Those who do not believe in God or do not believe in him enough 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 see the following picture: human society is mired in superstitions. And this is sad, because it indicates that there are very few true believers 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 a bill by counting the number of empty bottles on the table, removing containers for these reasons is probably stupid. If you are not one of the superstitious people because of your faith in God or simply disbelief in all sorts of nonsense, you also will not rush to put the containers under the table for fear of causing 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 and may look like a transparent hint to guests that it is time for them to leave, and in general, a table with empty bottles, salad bowls, gravy boats and other cutlery looks sloppy.

Why can't you put an empty bottle on the table? Choose the version that suits you best.

According to another sign, an empty bottle can have an unfavorable effect on nulliparous girls in the house. If they sit at a table with an empty bottle, they will never be able to experience all the delights of motherhood.

In addition, there is a belief that an empty vessel has the power to draw energy and health from a person. Therefore it needs to be removed. In this case, even under the table, the bottle should be closed with a cork or napkin.

During the time of the hussars, the military had their own belief. The soldiers believed that if the empty bottle was not removed from the table, the next time the same company would not gather together. One of the hussars will die in the next battle.

Historical facts

And in times Soviet Union It was strictly forbidden to bring alcoholic beverages with you to restaurants or cafes. However, the enterprising worker still found a way to carry a bottle in his bosom. After all, buying wine or vodka in a store was much cheaper than ordering from. The bottle was placed under the table, discreetly poured into glasses and quickly drunk so that the waiters would not notice. Since then, the habit of keeping a bottle under the table has taken root among Soviet people.

If you look at the tradition of removing empty bottles from the table from a practical point of view, unnecessary containers only get in the way. And it is removed to make room for new dishes, or so that no one accidentally touches the battery with their elbow and gets hurt. And it’s simply not aesthetically pleasing when festive table filled with empty dishes.

Even modern people involuntarily follow some traditions and adhere to old superstitions. In almost each of these “interpretations” there is a rational grain of logic, but it is not always possible to find a reasonable explanation for the signs.

One of the most incomprehensible signs is empty bottles left on the table. Indeed, an empty glass or glass is placed on the table when it is set festive dinner, why is it forbidden to leave an empty bottle?

Sign "empty bottle on the table"

If an empty bottle appears on the table, this is a bad omen. Why? It has long been believed that it promises hunger, poverty and other problems that will certainly affect this house. In addition, there is an opinion that an empty vessel on the table is capable of absorbing the energy of the person sitting next to him, his strength, and will take away his health and luck.

Another very interesting interpretation of the sign says that empty bottles cannot be left on the table if a woman is sitting at it. It is worse if this is a nulliparous woman, since such a “neighborhood” threatens her with difficult childbirth in the future or she will not be able to become a mother at all.

Eastern wisdom says that evil spirits inhabit empty bottles. If such a vessel is placed on the table, the spirits leave their refuge and cause trouble and disaster. Therefore, it is recommended to remove empty bottles from the table, and be sure to close the neck with a cork or other device. If you believe the superstition, leaving an empty bottle on the table causes trouble: the owners of this house will face discord in the family, money will go away, quarrels and illnesses will settle in the house. Empty bottle on dining table promises big troubles for all family members.

Is there a more rational and logical explanation for this sign? It turns out that there are signs and superstitions that have absolutely nothing to do with it. Even during the First World War, visitors to taverns were counted by the amount of alcohol they drank, that is, how many empty bottles were left after the meal. Soldiers who frequented taverns often hid empty bottles under the table to make dinner cheaper. Since those times, the tradition has remained not to leave empty bottles on the table, but to hide them under it.

Whether you should take a sign seriously is a personal matter. For some it's easy historical fact, has taken root in society, and for others it is a warning from ancestors, which, nevertheless, is worth listening to so as not to bring trouble to the family and home.

Even if you are not a very superstitious person, signs in any case easily find their way into your life: from the lips of your wife, friend, mother-in-law or acquaintance. They are remembered immediately, because there are prejudices associated with them, negative energy, possible circumstances. Any sane person tries to avoid undesirable consequences by subconsciously following signs that are hidden in memory. A striking example is the empty bottles on the table. Why can't they be put there?

The history of the tradition of removing an empty bottle from the table

There is no talk of 100% truthfulness, but many experts on the true origins of omens are inclined towards this version. At the beginning of the 19th century, Russian Cossacks made a campaign against France. Not a single battle, meeting or meeting takes place without a feast, right? Parisian waiters at that time came up with one trick: in order not to count the number of bottles sold, it was easier for them to record the empty containers that remained on the tables after violent drinking sessions.

The Cossacks turned out to be smarter than the garcons from France. Having seen this trick, they began to hide a certain number of empty bottles under the table in order to spend less money when calculating. And it worked! Some historians interpret that the sign appeared during the Second World War. This does not matter much, but this fact quite logically explains superstition.

Why you can't put empty bottles on the table

What belief do you personally know? Why can't you leave an empty bottle on the table? To determine a truthful, logical and non-superstitious answer, you need to be aware of the origins. Find out what this sign and practice is associated with, and why drinking a bottle after drinking alcohol is considered a sign of bad taste. As soon as you familiarize yourself with the arguments, the conclusion will suggest itself - leave it or remove it.

Old signs and superstitions

A long time ago, when bottles were not cylindrical, but flat, every overturned container was a sign that no one would become a dead man, because they drank to their health. The myth that this foreshadowed death is complete nonsense. Previously, men even said a toast when it was over alcoholic drink: “Place the dead man.” After changing the shape of the bottle to a cylinder, it had to be automatically placed under the table.

Superstitions about empty household items are more common. The bottle is no exception. People believe that if they leave empty containers on the dinner table, they will have no money later, because this leads to poverty. This applies not only to the bottle, but also to all utensils: plates, cups, saucers. If you are a very superstitious person, then it is better to adhere to signs that lead to prosperity in the family, and not to the destruction of the overall budget.

Another version is more fabulous. Empty bottles harbor evil spirits, and by leaving them on the table, you “contaminate” everything around you. You cannot leave unfinished wine in the container, as this leads to tears for the owners. If you still have last drops alcohol, and you pour it out to someone, then the person must make a wish. Remember the phrase “leftovers are sweet”? This is where she belongs.

It's impractical

To people who prefer logic to signs, the reason for this dispute is clear. This approach is simply impractical. After emptying, the bottle becomes lighter, begins to get in the way, and accidentally touching it with your elbow becomes very easy, given alcohol intoxication. In this state, you won’t be able to properly remove the fragments, and this can lead to disastrous consequences if you are not in a restaurant where waiters are watching every step.

The second reason that speaks of impracticality is where to put new bottles if the old ones take up space? It is quite logical, given that a large feast does not take place modestly and with tea drinking. Some believe that leaving empty bottles only depresses the conscience, they say, you have to work tomorrow, and you see the amount of alcohol you have drunk, and the mere thought of a hangover makes you feel bad. Take this moment away and enjoy the evening!

Leaving a bottle on the table is a sign of bad manners

Aesthetes know about table etiquette, therefore, any competent, educated person who enjoys a cultural holiday will be guided by this reason. If you invited guests and left empty bottles on the table, they can safely take this as a sign that it is time for them to go home. This is not decent! According to words, everyone will understand, but not by such humiliating gestures. And if you invited a lady on a date, imagine how awkward it will be for her to tell something interesting about herself and only partially see her partner.

For those who are not going to get very drunk, changing the position of the bottle to horizontal is enough. This is done in all restaurants with a large flow of people, so that it is easier for waiters to notice who has run out of alcohol. Then they immediately come up to you and ask “should I update?” It’s more convenient than hiding the bottle, then calling the waiter, and getting it out from under the table, right?