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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:
EffortlessDelegation · 31/12/2023 16:48

I’ll be doing the bed linen tomorrow, having done towels and clothes today, then we’re all done before going back to work on Tuesday. It might be a holiday but we’re not planning to go anywhere and it’s not a big deal to stick a couple of loads through. I could understand it in the days before washing machines.

RuthW · 31/12/2023 16:50

New years eve l, new years day and over easter.

I never do any washing on these days, but up to you

idontlikealdi · 31/12/2023 16:50

I've never heard of this.

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Events & celebrations
Mrsjayy · 31/12/2023 16:53

DustyLee123 · 31/12/2023 15:52

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

i think this, a wise woman.started the rumour 😁

Doggymummar · 31/12/2023 16:56

Never heard of this. But did mine today. Hurrah, my bad luck will come from elsewhere!

slavetothekittens · 31/12/2023 16:56

Was thinking about this earlier....my gran used to say you should never iron/put the ashes out on New Years Day/Good Friday and I couldn't remember which was which. It then struck me that I do neither anyway😆

BubbleBubbleBubbleBubblePop · 31/12/2023 16:58

Apparently it washes people out of your life. I'll be doing a load or two while thinking of particular shitty family members and hoping that the superstition is true.

maddiemookins16mum · 31/12/2023 16:59

My machine is loaded ready with the delay timer set for 8am.

HelpMeGetThrough · 31/12/2023 16:59

Hope it isn't bad luck to do grouting and bath sealing on New Years Day, as that's my plan tomorrow.

How to live in 2024!!!!!!

Glitterkitten24 · 31/12/2023 17:00

I mean, logically, of course it’s not true.

I have however done two loads of washing today and won’t wash again until 2nd Jan. 😜

Nellieinthebarn · 31/12/2023 17:11

Its not bad luck to do anything, or not do something, its just superstition. If you want to follow it, do so, but don't feel you have to.

welcometothnuthouse · 31/12/2023 17:22

To buck the trend here, I usually do laundry and other normal house work with dh on christmas day. We don't celebrate it as we are pagans.

BogRollBOGOF · 31/12/2023 17:27

The only superstition I believe in is that suncream will make the sun hide behind a cloud 😂

HundredMilesAnHour · 31/12/2023 17:31

I've never heard this said for 31 Dec /1 Jan before but it's a big thing at Lunar New Year (which also includes no washing your hair....basically don't wash anything as you're washing the luck away for the new Lunar year).

Devilsmommy · 31/12/2023 17:34

I bloody hope not, I've got a couple of loads need doing and they're going in tomorrow, bad luck be damned😆

JingleSnowmanTree · 31/12/2023 17:35

idontlikealdi · 31/12/2023 16:50

I've never heard of this.

@AprMayJune

@idontlikealdi several people have said that on this thread. I'd love to know what age you all are.

I'm 54 ( for a few weeks yet anyway.) & although I don't think my Mum & Dad gave it any thought, other relatives & friends families did! So I grew up with it.

i don't walk under ladders either, but that's as much common bloody sense as superstition.

ive done washing today So I don't need to do any tomorrow - why take the risk. I don't clean the house on NYD either (it can wait until Tuesday!!

im just off to have a shower & wash my hair (then it won't need washing tomorrow).

I don't see the point in poking the bear!! But at the same time if there was any vomiting/bed wetting etc affected linen/clothing would be straight in the machine, without a thought!!

no one to do 'first footing' though. Will have to keep that in mind until I get a visitor! 😩🤣

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 31/12/2023 17:37

@idontlikealdi several people have said that on this thread. I'd love to know what age you all are

I'm 69. And the only one I take any notice of is the ladders, like you out of commonsense.

JL690 · 31/12/2023 17:40

That's a new one to me, I might use it as an excuse but I'd only be fooling myself 😩

caringcarer · 31/12/2023 17:40

Both my Grans and my Mum and Aunties all used to say

'If you do washing on NY day you wash a member of your family away'.

I know it's superstition but I don't do it because even though both Grans, Mum and Aunties are all dead now I just know they disapprove. It was probably something the women in bygone times thought up to get a day off from washing clothes.

Mrsjayy · 31/12/2023 17:42

my mum doesnt do washing, I saw her today and she said her washing basket was empty for the new year.

caringcarer · 31/12/2023 17:55

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 31/12/2023 17:37

@idontlikealdi several people have said that on this thread. I'd love to know what age you all are

I'm 69. And the only one I take any notice of is the ladders, like you out of commonsense.

I'm 62 now. My DD doesn't do washing on NY day either though and she's in her 30's.

AuntieMarys · 31/12/2023 17:57

Don't be ridiculous

OhChristmassTree · 31/12/2023 17:58

I've never heard of it, I'm 46.

I do not understand people in this day and age following ridiculous superstitions.
The ladder one makes sense, and I suppose if you open an umbrella indoors then you could have someones eye out.
The rest of them are a load of bollocks.

zeibesaffron · 31/12/2023 17:59

Washing clothes on NY day is meant to wash a member of your family away - I had never heard of it until I met my husband.

ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming · 31/12/2023 18:02

I'm 64 and I've never heard that it is bad luck to do the washing on NYD so I'm sure I've done it many times.

If you want to wash then do it. Honestly, it's fine.

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