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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:
Catopia · 31/12/2023 18:03

Never even heard of this one. I've done 3 loads of laundry and cleaned the whole house as we're hosting tonight so if that's bad luck I guess I'm screwed!

HermioneWeasley · 31/12/2023 18:04

Christ on a fucking bike, do a load of washing if you need to or if it’s convenient for you.

notlisteningwithmother · 31/12/2023 18:05

My DM used to wash all dirty clothes and empty the bins on NYE - getting rid of the remnants of the old year so that the new year can come in.
I often wash bed linen on NYE but mainly because it's not been done since before Christmas!

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AlisonWonderbra · 31/12/2023 18:05

What a load of old toss

idontlikealdi · 31/12/2023 18:08

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain I'm 46, I wonder if it's a regional thing.

My family are from NI and I am in London.

JingleSnowmanTree · 31/12/2023 18:08

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.

@Mrsjayy

oh is it supposed to be?

I thought you just shouldn't do any on NYD?

I still have a few different bits in mine, but not suitable to go in together & certainly not separated out.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 31/12/2023 18:08

AlisonWonderbra · 31/12/2023 18:05

What a load of old toss

Considering it's an arbitrary date...why isn't it bad luck to do washing any other day? who decided this whole 'you'll wash a member of your family away' tosh anyway?

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 31/12/2023 18:09

idontlikealdi · 31/12/2023 18:08

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain I'm 46, I wonder if it's a regional thing.

My family are from NI and I am in London.

Probably. I'm in London and MN is the only place I've seen this.

InSpainTheRain · 31/12/2023 18:10

It's fine. Just crack on and do what yiu need to do.

43ontherocksporfavor · 31/12/2023 18:10

What?? It’s an old saying. You know those things aren’t actually true don’t you??😬

Metallicant · 31/12/2023 18:13

I’m 52 and have always been aware of this superstition.

I stick to it as an excuse to be lazy on New Years Day,

Mrsjayy · 31/12/2023 18:13

JingleSnowmanTree · 31/12/2023 18:08

@Mrsjayy

oh is it supposed to be?

I thought you just shouldn't do any on NYD?

I still have a few different bits in mine, but not suitable to go in together & certainly not separated out.

Show quote history

apparently its supposed to be empty for NYD she would faint if she knew i didnt do a wash today😀

NoWordForFluffy · 31/12/2023 18:13

HermioneWeasley · 31/12/2023 18:04

Christ on a fucking bike, do a load of washing if you need to or if it’s convenient for you.

I think this sums it up!

This thread pops up every year on MN. The first time I saw the thread is the first time I'd heard about the superstition.

We do washing when it's a) forecast dry and b) convenient for us. It's forecast dry tomorrow, so we'll do a load overnight.

NannyGythaOgg · 31/12/2023 18:15

I'm 68; when I was a kid, washing took over the whole kitchen. The washing machine was pulled out (blocking 1/4 of the 2metre square of the kitchen), was filled by putting a hose onto the hot tap (immersion heater primed the hot water). Everything was washed and then put the the ringer (2 rollers on top of the machine that swung round so the dirty water could be squeezed out into the kitchen sink. The machine was topped up with hot water as necessary, with everything being washed in basically the same water.

Eventually mum had a small, separate spin dryer, which spun excess water into a bowl on the floor. This was ultra modern.
She even was very lucky to have the machine with ringer as it wasn't so long previous (including in her early married years) that everything was done with a washboard over the sink.
Drying then had to be outside or, if wet, on clothes horses, stood steaming in front of the coal fire.
Is it any wonder, this wasn't to be done on New Year's Day. Oh - and not to save the woman work at all - it was because, in many cases, the man was home from work that day and didn't want to see all this.
I don't think opening a door, pushing the washing in and adding cleaning agent compares. Especially if followed up with tumble drying or dedicated drying space, which I know isn't the case for everyone.

When I first got married (1976), it wasn't that different. Twin tub was a major improvement but still had to be filled from the kitchen tap and integrated spin dryer emptied into a bowl on the floor.

I still regularly thank my lucky stars for an automatic washing machine, that fills and spins without manual intervention AND I love my heat pump dryer.

Hoglet70 · 31/12/2023 18:17

My Nan had a load of superstitions like that. This is one that suits me as I am planning on doing nothing tomorrow!

coxesorangepippin · 31/12/2023 18:18

Yeah, you need to to wait at least a week

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 31/12/2023 18:19

No washing here, and get all the bins emptied/put out before the bells. (NE Scotland)

LoreleiG · 31/12/2023 18:19

I’ve heard it all now. Although will happily not do the washing.

BarbaraBuncle · 31/12/2023 18:20

My DM always used to abide by this saying. I think it was created by women to give themselves a day off from the hard graft, before there were such things as washing machines and dishwashers etc.

In any case, I'm still using New Year's Day as an excuse not to do any housework. Apart from cooking our last feast of Christmas.

Fuckmeicantbebothered · 31/12/2023 18:22

Well, maybe that's why I've had a cursed life so far. Always do washing on New years.

Think this year I'll give it a miss

MrsDilligaf · 31/12/2023 18:33

It's always been a superstition in my family. I don't intend to wash or do any significant cleaning tomorrow, but the sky won't fall in if I do.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 31/12/2023 18:34

It's bollocks, I'll be doing some washing tomorrow. Always have. When I had a family at home, pretty much the only days I didn't do laundry were Christmas day and Boxing Day. Nothing has ever happened (that wasn't going to any way) 🤷‍♀️

Mrsjayy · 31/12/2023 18:40

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 31/12/2023 18:19

No washing here, and get all the bins emptied/put out before the bells. (NE Scotland)

oh Dh will do the bins before we go out !

TypicalCoach · 31/12/2023 18:45

Lol why would you get bad luck for doing the washing, fucking hell

NotDoingOk · 31/12/2023 19:10

To be fair, there are a few people I'd be quite happy to wash out of my life this year.

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