Do you believe it's bad luck to do laundry on new year's day?

[MamOfTwo]

The laundry situation is out of control in this house. I have a laundry mountain range (not just a mountain). I am not superstitious at all. And yet I just found myself thinking: "Well, I can't do any tomorrow as it 's bad luck." Think it may even have been on here I was first made aware of the superstition. Am I being silly not to do any laundry tomorrow?!

Why didn’t I read this thread 30 minutes ago? I haven’t done any since last week, so there’s a backlog.
Can you choose which person gets the laundry voodoo?

Honey cake and apples dipped in honey are a Jewish tradition for Jewish New Year in September (in 2025). Do you do it on 1st January, @MyCatIsTheHeadChef ?

I do believe it, but I believe most stuff like that. Whether I believe or I’m just cautious I’m not sure.

Yes indeed. And also for Rosh Hashanah.

Although this morning my version was dates stuffed with blue cheese and with honey and walnuts drizzled over. Not a bad breakfast!

I like to see it as setting a precedent for the coming year. Clean clothes and clean home for the year to come.

Hmm… dates stuffed with blue cheese and drizzled with honey and walnuts you say, @MyCatIsTheHeadChef? I may be able to assemble that from the remnants of last night’s buffet. I feel that is a tradition I wish to embrace, and I shall also be embracing the superstition of no laundry on NYD and I shall extend that to no housework of any kind 😂 Better safe than sorry!

It was probably a superstition made up before washing machines, by a very clever, tired mother who wanted new years day off from the drudgery.

Totally bad luck, I have banned myself for as much as touching a smelly sock today, ahhh, bliss!!

No, but having said that, I liberally doused myself with holy water this morning from a famous mountain site in Europe and it felt like a good start to the year.

Growing up the whole of both sides of the family believed it was bad luck to do clothes washing and hair washing on New Years Day. Consequently my hair was washed yesterday afternoon and washing done Monday and Tuesday.

Not sure if region has anything to do with it, but my parents families came from different parts of the Midlands.

I do it when I feel it needs doing not bothered at all by the date or day

😂I thought this was something my dd made up.

Ive never heard of this one

I hope not. I have been away and back to work tomorrow, so today has to be a day for washing, tidying up, etc.

I hadn't heard of it until last night when Sophie Ellis Bexter said that it's a Spanish tradition.

Never heard of this. I hope it's not true I've got my 3rd load of washing on right now 😂

I don't do the washing on NYD, not because of superstition but because I am usually hungover (not today for once), but mainly because it's a day to just chill.

Oh shit I'd never heard of this. Stripped the bed this morning and washed the bedding thinking I'd have nice new sheets for New Year's Day. Have I cursed myself?!?!

I've done 4 loads today but tbf my luck can't get much worse so not sure it will make any difference!

Oh! I'd forgotten about this superstition until I read this. We were hosting last night with friends staying so I've done all of their bedding and towels as well as the tablecloth and a load of normal washing as I didn't want drying washing hanging around the house yesterday

Two loads done today and no bad luck so far. In fact I found a necklace randomly that I loved and thought I lost about two years ago.

Never put a wash on NYD, the superstition has grown in me as a couple of years ago I did and my Dad was diagnosed with Heart Failure if was a scary time. So now I don’t to make myself feel better.

I have never not put a wash on on NYD if I'm at home and it needs doing. We did a load yesterday...nothing bad has happened since. Plenty of annoying things have happened but they are ongoing before the washing so they can't be related.

Is this a joke?!

I did 5 loads yesterday 🤣, didn’t occur to me it might be unlucky. I’m cursed anyway so probs won’t make much difference 🤷‍♀️

My late mum used to say if you wash on NYD you will wash your luck away. Ridiculous yes but I can’t risk it as year on year our luck is tested 🥺