Saturday 1 September 2012

Why do we say White Rabbits on the first of the month?

Today is the first of September.
First of the month and the month has an R in its name.
You know what this means don't you?

WHITE RABBITS!

Tiny felt rabbit, hand stitched, £9.50

Obviously this is my very favourite superstition. Any excuse to think about rabbits.

But where does it come from and what is it all about? A quick bit of research found the following:


Saying 'white rabbits' on the first of the month will bring good luck throughout that month

Some say you will get a present before the month is out

It only works during a month with an 'R' its name

It must be said first thing in the morning, before any other words are spoken
There is some debate about whether is should be said once, twice or three times

Some say it should be said at the top of the stairs
The first written reference appears in a 1922 novel 'Solomon in all his Glory' by Robert Lynd: "Why," the man in the brown hat laughed at him, "I thought everybody knew 'Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit.' If you say 'Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit'—three times, just like that—first thing in the morning on the first of the month, even before you say your prayers, you'll get a present before the end of the month."

The funniest variation I came across was someone saying it should be 'brown rabbits' said three times whilst walking down the stairs, backwards. (But surely this is more likely to bring broken bones than good luck?)

And finally here is my own definitive, Cottontails Baby, version of the myth:

On the first of any month, with an R in its name
Visit Cottontails Baby and play this little game
Place an order for a rabbit, fluffy-tailed and long-of-ear
And before the month is out, a rabbit parcel will appear

Go on, try it - it really works! And did you know we have a dedicated Bunnies department at Cottontails, where you can see all our rabbity toys and accessories in one place?


Tiny grey and white Ostheimer wooden rabbit £9.30



6 comments:

Caroline said...

I always say White Rabbits but never knew it only worked when there is an R in the month. C x

Charlotte said...

There seem to be 101 variations Caroline... Humphrey prefers 'grey rabbit', spoken reverently every day :)

x

Crafty Green Poet said...

I try to remember to say 'white rabbit' three times at the start of the first day of the month.

I like the special Cottontails Baby version!

Unknown said...

Ive been saying white rabbits at the start of every month since i was little. Its nice to know finally where the story came from and that ive been doing it right all these years!

Unknown said...

I've only said it on 1st March - maybe I've got it wrong, or could it be a connection with March Hares,only that's rabbits, isn't it?

Unknown said...

I've always said rabbits only on 1st March. Have I been making a mistake all these years? Or have I been thinking of March Hares (but that's not rabbits!)

Kay Thompson