TikTok is warning people in relationships not to give their partner shoes this Christmas.
Young women have been very afraid of learning about the widespread “shoe theory” lately – especially now that Christmas is just around the corner.
Here’s what you need to know about it.
What is the shoe theory?
According to a Chinese superstition known as the “shoe theory of separation,” giving a pair of shoes to a person will trigger a curse that causes the person to “go away.”
Although the superstition is years old, the viral curse first appeared on TikTok a few months ago. Since then, unmarried women have been sharing their heartbreaking stories, including tales of those who were dumped shortly after purchasing a pair of shoes.
A TikToker named Angela Chan revealed that her mother introduced her to the theory when she was a little girl.
“If you give someone a pair of shoes, they will eventually leave you,” she claimed, pointing out that the Chinese word for “shoes” is pronounced similarly to “evil” or “bad luck.”
Since then, numerous users on the platform have independently investigated the theories and explained whether or not they agree with them. Katie, a TikToker, for example, shared that she initially thought the hypothesis was “stupid.”
That was before she had an “aha moment” and realized that she had once given someone a gift when she gave her ex a pair of shoes. She explained, “They are definitely out of my life.”
Is that true?
For some people, the theory has proven to be true
One TikToker said, “I’ve never heard of this, but the only person I bought shoes for is literally the only person who unexpectedly ‘disappeared from my life.'”
Another person agreed, saying, “I gave my husband a pair of shoes for Christmas two years ago. The following March, a few days after our daughter’s birthday, it emerged that he had been having an affair for a year.”
What other trends have people shared on TikTok?
Another trend was the “Name a Woman” trend, where women would ask their husbands or lovers the name of any woman. Then viewers and commentators would judge whether or not the person in question gave an “acceptable” answer based on the name that immediately came to mind.
