Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Is it really bad luck to do washing on New Years Day?

129 replies

AprMayJune · 31/12/2023 15:49

I want to clean my house tomorrow afternoon, but does anyone buy into the whole bad luck thing? I’m not going to have much other time to do it all week so that will feel like bad luck if I don’t get it done!

OP posts:
BCBird · 31/12/2023 15:50

Onli if it rains. Do as you please OP

IAcceptCookies · 31/12/2023 15:51

Don't be ridiculous.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 31/12/2023 15:51

Never heard this but I don't buy into superstitious nonsense. Crack on and do your cleaning, it will be fine!!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Events & celebrations
DustyLee123 · 31/12/2023 15:52

I think that was made up to give women a break in the past.

ODFOx · 31/12/2023 15:52

Never heard of that one.
Family leaving after lunch tomorrow and then I'll have 5 loads to do tomorrow afternoon. If you are cursed then so am I OP!

Imamumgetmeoutofhere · 31/12/2023 15:52

No. The yearly calendar is different all over the world so New Year's Day for us isn't New Year's Day else where, ie Chinese new year is Sat 10th Feb 2024. So can't possibly be unlucky 🤷‍♀️

FuzzyPenguin · 31/12/2023 15:55

Apparently so, managed to get to the grand old age of 42 before someone informed me that I had been washing people out of my life for years 🤷🏻‍♀️. Anyway I am not superstitious so won’t be changing my ways.

Dippydinosaurus · 31/12/2023 15:56

We have a burst pipe in our area today which they're still trying to fix so I'll be doing some washing tomorrow to catch up. We've only just come back from staying with family and have a massive pile of washing (and a messy house)

Theoldwoman · 31/12/2023 16:03

No, it’s not. Nothing will happen if you do.

Syndulla · 31/12/2023 16:05

Do you honestly think that wiping down some surfaces / vacuuming etc will somehow cause you to experience a negative event later this year?

willingtolearn · 31/12/2023 16:07

I'm on board with it. One day off the endless laundry.

What other days are there that have superstitions that give me an excuse to avoid household chores?

I'm slightly reminded of the Derry Girls episode where they are unable to get hold of their Friday fish and chips and Ma Mary exclaims in horror 'do you expect me to cook??'

IpanemaCaipirinha · 31/12/2023 16:13

My granny always told me this! I’ve done my little bit of handwashing this afternoon, just in case Blush

OhmygodDont · 31/12/2023 16:14

Dippydinosaurus · 31/12/2023 15:56

We have a burst pipe in our area today which they're still trying to fix so I'll be doing some washing tomorrow to catch up. We've only just come back from staying with family and have a massive pile of washing (and a messy house)

Oh there’s a burst pipe near my mums it’s been flooding the road for the last couple of days now so everyone’s got terrible low pressure it sucks.

But I have used this as a good excuse to get everything done today and a day off tomorrow haha

caramac04 · 31/12/2023 16:15

It’s just a superstition but I have done all my laundry today.

SingingSands · 31/12/2023 16:19

I've never heard of that in my life!

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 31/12/2023 16:20

Syndulla · 31/12/2023 16:05

Do you honestly think that wiping down some surfaces / vacuuming etc will somehow cause you to experience a negative event later this year?

It's confirmation bias - 'OMG I washed on NYE it's my fault X died/left!' whereas if you knew nothing about the superstition you'd not connect the two.

As someone said, probably started by women to give themselves a day off.

LadyDowntown · 31/12/2023 16:24

No, time is made by man. I doubt the universe cares when you do your washing.

Parts of the world have already celebrated ‘new year’ so which is correct?

My mum was so disappointed at the millennium when she saw on the new Australia etc had already had theirs. She said ‘it doesn’t feel as exciting now’ lol

whichspidermummy · 31/12/2023 16:26

@AprMayJune I found this thread, quite by coincidence, whilst Googling the answer 😂

I was always told this by my nan, also no washing on Good Friday.

It never bothered me until DD2 died after I washed DD1's bedding on NYD. Of course I know it's not related, and both my dad and brother have died in separate years since, and I never washed on NYD. But I can't get over the uneasy feeling.

Strangely one of my best years was when I took down the decorations on NYD and cleaned the house.

I couldn't not take out rubbish or not wash up though, and our bins are being collected for the first time in nearly three weeks on Tuesday, so I will have to take out rubbish tomorrow.

gingercat02 · 31/12/2023 16:28

My washing will be finished in about half an hour. No washing on NYD here (I'm Irish. We love a bit of superstition)

CeriB82 · 31/12/2023 16:36

bad luck good lyck

what a load of bollocks. Who believes this shite?

DarkForces · 31/12/2023 16:38

gingercat02 · 31/12/2023 16:28

My washing will be finished in about half an hour. No washing on NYD here (I'm Irish. We love a bit of superstition)

We'll all know who to blame when the apocalypse comes. We can just go through this thread 😂

JaneKatSuttonGoals · 31/12/2023 16:39

Most likely superstitious garbage.....but is it worth the risk?
2024 is a leap year - there's an extra day for laundry, have a day off.
My bedding is just on and I'm hoping g to put my towels on too before I go out

BreatheAndFocus · 31/12/2023 16:44

I’m doing my washing today 🤷‍♀️ Why do it on New Year’s Day? Apart from the traditional bad luck, it’s supposed to be a holiday.

Thistooshallpass. · 31/12/2023 16:48

2 loads done today - I know it's a superstition but my mum and nan before her always said if you wash on New Years Day you wash your luck away . I'm not taking the chance!

JenniferJupiterVenusandMars · 31/12/2023 16:48

I have a couple of loads to do tomorrow, unlike my mother I am completely unfazed by superstition.