Old traditions never die, neither do they simply fade away. Some are still deeply embedded in our mind. This paper examines two taboos in East Asia, four and ghost month, testing their potency on the stock markets. The results show that four has lost its mojo, while the ghost month impacts the stock market in the areas with such traditions. This effect may be seen in the marriage registrations also. By contrast, some of the menacing elements in the west seem to have evolved from inherently scary scenarios into explicitly joyful festivities due to the vicissitudes of time