# Why do we say 'White rabbits' 3x on the first of the month? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 30, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371 "2004-11-30T19:42:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/1 "2004-11-30T19:42:00Z")
Why is there a tradition to say ‘white rabbits’ three times on the morning of the first of every month for good luck, before speaking to anyone. I realised that for us here, it is the first of the month this morning, but I had already talked to the dog - does it count if you say it after speaking to an animal only? Is this tradition European, do others know about it? ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/2 "2004-11-30T19:45:07Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > Is this tradition European, do others know about it? Don’t know if it’s European, but it’s certainly the first I’ve heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/3 "2004-11-30T19:45:22Z")
I’ve never heard of that anywhere I’ve lived in the US. All East of the Mississippi, so there may be areas where this is common. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/4 "2004-11-30T19:47:07Z")
A British friend of mine does this—I think you have to turn around three times and bow to the moon, too. Of course, she’s crazier than a hoot-owl, but that’s what she told me. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/5 "2004-11-30T19:48:28Z")
I’ve heard of this on message boards and read of it in books, but I’ve never met in person anyone who actually does this. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/6 "2004-11-30T19:51:37Z")
[This web page](http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/Superstition/rabbit.htm) deals with this and other similar superstions. I’ve never heard of it before either (US). ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/7 "2004-11-30T19:54:41Z")
No offense, but that’s just about the weirdest tradition I’ve ever heard of. Wow. ---
**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 30, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/8 "2004-11-30T19:58:41Z")
I learned from a friend in college (who grew up in Georgia) that it was “Rabbit, Rabbit” to be said on the first of the month before your feet hit the floor. I’ve tried to say it ever since, no idea why but it’s a fun little tradition. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/9 "2004-11-30T20:06:52Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I learned from a friend in college (who grew up in Georgia) that it was “Rabbit, Rabbit” to be said on the first of the month before your feet hit the floor. I’ve tried to say it ever since, no idea why but it’s a fun little tradition. Similarly grwoing up near Cleveland Ohio I heard about this in the late 50s or early 60s. It was “Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit” that was to be said as the first words out of your mouth in a new month for luck. I remembering thinking one New Year’s Eve if I should say “Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit, Happy New Year” or vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/10 "2004-11-30T21:41:29Z")
su·per·sti·tion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (spr-stshn) n. 1. An irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome. 2. 1. A belief, practice, or rite irrationally maintained by ignorance of the laws of nature or by faith in magic or chance. 2. A fearful or abject state of mind resulting from such ignorance or irrationality. 3. Idolatry. Never heard of “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit” in mid-west US. Lots of other inane rites and rituals abounded. May have been the Aussie influence when the country was overrun with the buggers. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/11 "2004-11-30T21:45:14Z")
When she was a child, Canadian Gilda Radner felt she had to say “Bunny Bunny” before getting out of bed every morning to “stay safe.” As she grew older, she realized it was irrational, and got it down to only doing it the first of every month. Alan Zweibel’s extraordinary memoir of Gilda is titled “Bunny Bunny.” He said it for her at her memorial service held on June 1st. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/12 "2004-11-30T21:53:34Z")
I’ve never heard of anyone saying that, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/13 "2004-11-30T21:55:00Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > I realised that for us here, it is the first of the month this morning, but I had already talked to the dog - does it count if you say it after speaking to an animal only? Trying to stick to a factual answer only, you are clearly doomed. Stay in bed for the next 31 days until you have a chance to start January on the right foot. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/14 "2004-11-30T21:58:29Z")
I posted this same question within the past year. You can probably find the thread somewhere. My wife, who’s mother was from Australia, learned this tradition as a child and says “Happy Month, White Rabbit!” on the first of every month. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/15 "2004-11-30T22:03:47Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > A British friend of mine does this. I’m British, but I’ve never heard of it. We do have “pinch and a punch, first day of the month”, though. ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/16 "2004-11-30T22:27:40Z")
Thanks Fat Bald Guy - interesting. I should add, that whilst I have an NZ passport, my family and I have lived all over the world and my parents are British. I picked this one up from my parents, so I’m assuming it is a British and/or European thing. The variations are probably regional. Mum’s from Buckinghamshire and I’m sure they have many wacky superstititions, Dad’s from Birmingham but his parents were from Essex. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/17 "2004-11-30T22:42:10Z")
This is one of those “See if you can start a new urban legend” contests, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/18 "2004-12-01T01:03:33Z")
Heard of it, said it. - Ohio resident ---
**Author:** ![meowpossum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/848f3c/32.png) [@meowpossum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meowpossum)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/19 "2004-12-01T02:58:54Z")
I’ve heard of this superstition (“rabbit, rabbit, rabbit” version) before, but never knew anyone who actually did it. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371/20 "2004-12-01T03:36:58Z")
I think it means that somebody played a really good joke on you when you were a kid. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-say-white-rabbits-3x-on-the-first-of-the-month/277371.md?page=2)