Ceremonies and Superstitions Around Wills

Ceremonies and Superstitions Around Wills

Ceremonies and superstitions around Wills have varied across cultures and eras, reflecting both legal requirements and deeply held beliefs about death, inheritance, and family. In contemporary Canadian practice, the drafting of Wills is highly formalized to ensure validity, but traditional customs and superstitions still linger.

Common Ceremonies in Will Drafting

• The act of gathering witnesses is seen as a ceremony of solemnity and seriousness, intended to show the gravity of splitting one’s estate.
• Reading the completed Will aloud (the “reading of the Will”) was once a significant family event; today, it is less formal but still practiced in some communities.
• In some cultures, special dates—such as auspicious days or anniversaries—might be chosen for Will signing, reflecting hopes for favourable outcomes.

Superstitions Associated with Wills

• Talking about Wills or drafting one is avoided by some due to fears it could “invite” death or bad luck.
• In certain traditions, never signing a Will in red ink is important, as red is associated with death or misfortune.
• Some believe that discussing one’s Will too openly may cause family strife or hasten inheritance disputes.
• There are beliefs that one’s Will should not be stored at home but at a lawyer’s office, to avoid tampering or bad luck.
• In some cultures, it is considered unlucky to destroy an old Will without having a new one ready, as this may leave one “unprotected”.

Notable Cultural Rituals

• In Chinese culture, Will drafting may be accompanied by offerings or actions meant to appease ancestors and ensure their blessing for smooth succession.
• Victorian England saw the use of “mourning stationery” when drafting Wills, sometimes with black borders to signal the solemn intent.

These ceremonies and superstitions reflect the sensitive and symbolic nature of Wills, where legal formality intersects with personal and cultural beliefs about life, death, and legacy.

You might want to read our blog post on What a Beneficiary Has a Right to Know