The Pennsylvania Germans had many beliefs and superstitions for holidays, seasons, and various subjects. Below are some proverbs regarding Ascension Day, this year on May 30.

Reggewasser vum Himmelfardaag is gut fer wehe Aage. Water from Ascension Day rain will cure sore eyes.

Uff Himmelfardaag darf mer net faahre odder mer hot en Unglick. If you take a drive on Ascension Day, you will have an accident.

Uff der Himmelfardaag darf mer net naehe odder’s Gewidder schlackt em in die Scheier. Lightning will strike your barn if you sew on Ascension Day.

Uff der Himmelfardaag darf mer net im Grund schaffe. Never till the soil on Ascension Day.

Uff der Himmelfardaag darf mer nix duh except fische geh. The only thing you may do on Ascension Day is go fishing.

Uff der Himmelfardaag soll mer siwwe Sadde Tee drinke, no grickt mer sell Yaahr ken aerbliche Granket. By drinking seven kinds of tea on Ascension Day you will escape contagious diseases for the rest of the year.

Wann’s uff der Himmelfardaag reggert, bade sell Yaahr die Regge nix. If it rains on Ascension day, rains will do no good for the rest of the summer.

From “Beliefs and Superstitions of the Pennsylvania Germans” by Edwin Miller Fogel, Ph.D. (1995).

Uff Himmelferdaag geb’s gern Gwiddre. On Ascension Day thunderstorms are apt to come up.

Wann mer Ende-Oier setzt uff Himmelferdaag, geb’s scheckiche Ende. If one sets duck eggs on Ascension Day, variegated ducks will result.

Mer sett nix Neies draage uff Himmelferdaag. One should wear nothing new on Ascension Day.

Mer sett net heiere uff Himmelferdaag. One should not marry on Ascension Day.

Uff Himmelferdaag sett mer net nehe, schunscht deed mer die Hinkel die Hinnerdeeler zunehe. One should not sew on Ascension Day, otherwise one would sew shut the hind ends of the chickens and they will lay no eggs.

From “The Thomas R. Brendle Collection of Pennsylvania German Folklore.”