# White rabbits (Maybe UK only) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2001, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889 "2001-11-01T10:52:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AndyJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@AndyJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyJ)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/1 "2001-11-01T10:52:17Z")
I saw this question on another board. What is the origin of the phrase ‘White Rabbits’? It’s supposed to be said, as I understand, on the first day of each month and should bring you luck for the rest of the month. Do any other English speaking in countries say it or is it just the UK? ---
**Author:** ![Embra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@Embra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Embra)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/2 "2001-11-01T11:37:03Z")
Bizarre - the only first of the month speech I know of is “A pinch and a punch on the first of the month” (as you do those things to the person nearest to you). Then you need to say something like “…and no returns!!!” (so they can’t get you back)… When would you say “white rabbits”? Do you need to say it to someone else, like a greeting, or can you just mutter it under your breath? Where in the UK is it said? Embra ---
**Author:** ![AndyJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@AndyJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyJ)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/3 "2001-11-01T11:40:45Z")
I come from the north of England, Manchester. I’ve always said it. I think it can be either said to others or to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/4 "2001-11-01T11:54:44Z")
Born in London (30+ years), live in the Midlands (10+ years). Never heard of ‘White Rabbits’! (Is it something to do with Alice in Wonderland?) ---
**Author:** ![Xerxes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d2c977/32.png) [@Xerxes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xerxes)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/5 "2001-11-01T12:11:37Z")
Our family used to say it when I was a kid; haven’t heard it much (or say it myself) recently. BTW, > [@](#): > > A pinch and a punch on the first of the month “A punch and a kick, for being so quick” is the only valid reply after someone has said _no returns_. ---
**Author:** ![Charley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/6 "2001-11-01T13:03:10Z")
I too grew up in the Manchester area, and we did the white rabbits thing. Actually, our version was (and still is) “Rabbits, rabbits, white haired rabbits”. It has to be the first thing you say - to yourself or anyone else - on the morning of the first of the month, or you don’t get the good luck. Charley. ---
**Author:** ![Gartog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/22d042/32.png) [@Gartog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gartog)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/7 "2001-11-01T13:04:21Z")
Originally from Wales family from Shropshire now in the Midlands, I have heard it in all these places (But some people give blank stares) An old teacher once said it should only be said if the month has the letter ‘r’ in it. ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/8 "2001-11-01T13:17:14Z")
Born and raised in the UK - but never heard of it. To me, “white rabbit” is from Alice in Wonderland; a song by Jefferson Airplane (derived from Alice); or a brand of milk-flavoured candy made in China (delicious). ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/9 "2001-11-01T13:30:18Z")
More soft Southern shite checking in. I’ve never heard of it, either. ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@TomH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/10 "2001-11-01T13:34:56Z")
We used to do it when I was a child in Yorkshire, but I thought the rule was that it had to be the first thing you said when you woke up in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/11 "2001-11-01T14:06:59Z")
There is White Rabbit milk candy from china [http://www.crackseeds.com/whiterabbit.html](http://www.crackseeds.com/whiterabbit.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mogwei22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mogwei22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogwei22)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/12 "2001-11-01T14:09:03Z")
New England born and raised. I’ve been told by a friend (born in Midwest, raised in New England) that you’re supposed to say “Rabbit, Rabbit” on the first day of the month (and it has to be the first words out of your mouth when you wake up) and you’ll have good luck for that month. She told me this years ago and last month was the first month that I ever remembered. Today, no “Rabbit, Rabbit” ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/13 "2001-11-01T14:59:20Z")
New Englander here, and I was taught the “Rabbit, Rabbit” by a friend at college, but she’s from Georgia so I don’t know if she learned it up here or not. And yes, I said it this morning. I probably remember about half the time. ---
**Author:** ![Izzardesque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a9adbd/32.png) [@Izzardesque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Izzardesque)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/14 "2001-11-01T15:33:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Telemark \* > > And yes, I said it this morning. I probably remember about half the time. But do you get lucky months about half the time? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/15 "2001-11-01T16:03:02Z")
IIRC, a biography of Gilda Radner is titled to reflect this superstition. Some say “bunny, bunny,” some say, “rabbit, rabbit.” Some Jewish kids reportedly say, “Rabbi, Rabbi.” I probably shouldn’t add that frogs say, “ribbit, ribbit” on most days, because they don’t understand calendars. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/16 "2001-11-01T17:51:32Z")
From oop north here, You only do the rabbits thing if the month has an ‘r’ in it else its bad luck. ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/17 "2001-11-01T18:24:15Z")
From the Midlands & I agree with casdave - it’s only if the month has an r in it **and** it’s supposed to be the first thing you say that day, otherwise it doesn’t count. Also, I’ve never heard white rabbits, only rabbits (I assumed that the r went with r for rabbits, but that was just my guess as a child). I never heard the “pinch & a punch for the first of the month” one until I moved to the south east St. Albans, which is near London) & started teaching. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/18 "2001-11-01T20:21:49Z")
Born north-west of England. Never heard the expression until my uni. days, at which time various people introduced me to the tradition, but they hailed from all over the UK. No real pattern to it! ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/19 "2001-11-01T21:38:02Z")
I grew up in Berkshire and have said “White Rabbits” all my life. Well, when I remember. It doesn’t matter what month it is, but it has to be the first thing you say otherwise it doesn’t count. The phrase has been around for a while - but with what seems to be lost variation now. From [This site](http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/Superstition/rabbit.htm): > [@](#): > > The clocks are ticking on this new year, each minute racing into the next. This year, 1999, according to the Chinese tradition is the Year of the Rabbit. So, I thought we might take a look at a few of those old English superstitions surrounding the rabbit to see if they might tell us anything about what to expect in this next year… > > The first thing to note is that this creature is primarily referred to as a hare. However, in 1920 comes a little entry that puts the semantics into perspective: > > “…the following belief is common in many parts of Great Britain, with local variants: To secure good luck of some kind, usually a present, one should say ‘Rabbits’ three times just before going to sleep on the last day of the month, and then ‘Hares’ three times on waking the next morning” > > From 1922 comes this exerpt from a speech "Coming on to midnight, gentlemen, he said: > > ‘I hope everybody here will remember to say ‘Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit’ first thing in the morning." > > Hey, I thought rabbit was for night, hare was for morning! Well, we certainly can’t leave it that simple - from 1953 comes this published bit of folklore: > > “On the first day of the month when you wake up in the morning shout ‘White Rabbit’ and when you go to bed at night shout ‘Black Rabbit’ and you will have good luck.” Aha ! - it’s the colour that counts! > > From 1982: > > “The first words you say for a lucky month are ‘White Rabbits.’ If you can remember to say that twelve times a year, you’ll have a very lucky year…” > > Notice the plural, rabbits - multiply the good luck? And, what do you know - I wonder how many rabbits we need for the coming millennium. Maybe we should start shouting now. Apparently there was/is a [White Rabbit Cult](http://whiterabbitcult.com/History%20of%20W.'.R.'.C.'./History%20of%20the%20Cult%20Pt.III.html) which might have something to do with it. Or the guy might be a nutjob. White rabbits were once believed to be [witches](http://www.witchvox.net/wren/w_editorials/rabbit_inthemoon.html) - My WAG is that it was a way of warding off witches or covertly asking their favour. From that site: > [@](#): > > White rabbits were presumed to be Witches. Tales from the Scottish Highlands recount how Witches were often “found out” after being wounded while in their rabbit guise and then discovered to be carrying the same wounds once they regain their human form again. > > But whether the Celts thought that the rabbit was an ancient ancestor or just the Witch next door in disguise, either way, they were in big, big magickal trouble if they shot one! > > Another Welsh custom is to say ‘Rabbits’ or ‘White Rabbits’ either once or three times on the first day of the month as a good luck charm. It must be the first word(s) said in the morning or you’ve just blown your opportunity for the next thirty days.( StarLore) . The Guardian’s [Notes and Queries](http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-18136,00.html) wasn’t very helpful, with only this offered as a suggestion (and with no back-up): > [@](#): > > I have always understood it to derive from an ancient fertility charm for women to invoke pregnancy-seeing as how rabbits are so prolific. So now, after half an hour researching, I haven’t found a single definite claim. I’m really curious now. Incidentally, I always had the other rhyme as: **First Child Eager To Inflict Pain:** Pinch, punch, first of the month. **Second CETIP:** Pinch and a kick for being so quick. **FCETIP:** Pinch and a slap for answering back. I love children. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-rabbits-maybe-uk-only/90889/20 "2001-11-01T21:55:38Z")
My mother is from the Devon/Cornwall border and she would just say “rabbits” and do the whole punch, pinch, kick thing.