Superstition and stupidity

I love my mother, really I do. But there are days I want to smack some sense into her. While she might see it as me disrespecting traditions, I just see somethings as impractical and irrational. Like this morning when she told me I couldn't buy any shoes during this month (the Chinese month of February not actually February) is bad luck. Apparently, it's an equivalent to breaking a mirror but the bad luck will only last for a year. I admit to being superstitious but this is ridiculous. I can understand not going into anyone else's house for 100 days after someone close has died: that's showing respect in mourning. Not buying shoes for a whole month because it will bring a year of bad luck. *headdesk* I'm sorry. I've heard some crazy things, but this is ridiculous and I'm not just saying that because I'm obsessed with shoes. Oh and if this is such an important superstition, why now after 19 years? That would mean I would have had 19 years of bad luck because I do remember the Bay and Sears having a sale every other week or so. Then there's always Winners yet nothing has happened. I broke a mirror when I was six and yes I did have a bit of a rotten luck run for seven years.

Being a mythology/folklore freak, I have yet to hear of a story behind this. Mother hasn't exactly provided a background story to this. I can understand the mirror thing; many tales involve mirrors and I happen to know in some cultures they are covered after someone has died to prevent your own soul from being sucked out. The popular vampire is not supposed to have a reflection because they don't have a soul. It doesn't make sense in our modern world and you don't have to agree but at least you can see the logic. Have I ever come across this shoe superstition? Nope, I would have remembered something like this. It's weird enough to stick in my mind after the first reading.