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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask if anyone remembers this weird phrase/tradition, whatever you can call it?

3 replies

WhereTheFuckIsMyFuckingCoat · 27/11/2022 09:37

Ok, I'll start by fessing up that I've only put this in AIBU for the traffic. This is also just a bit of humour for me, not serious at all. I'm probably not NBU or BU either way, but I've just remembered this strange thing from childhood, and no one I know IRL has a clue what I'm talking about. I know for a fact I'm not imagining it, so I'm sure there has to be another person out there who does remember.

Disclaimer, it's not that exciting, so if you're easily disappointed, stop reading now, haha.

Background: I'm in my early 40's and my background is West of Scotland, very working class. Housing estate. I've no idea whether this was literally a 'just my family' thing, or an area thing.

So when I was a child, if someone was doing that thing where they felt a sneeze coming on, but it was on the verge of going away, that infuriating half sneeze/half not sneeze, someone would (invariably one of the annoying adults) loudly say "boo to a goose, boo to a goose, boo to a goose" repeatedly, and without fail, every time, the sneeze would vanish. Leaving you with that unsatisfactory itchy nosed non-sneeze.

I don't have a clue what it was about, but it was a regular thing (and very annoying hahah), and now I need to know if anyone in the world remembers this happening. It gives me a weird nostalgic feeling, but it's also driving me nuts because I can't find anyone else who has any recollection of the same.

So help me out please? Anyone else remember the weird 'boo to a goose' thing? Also, please don't be hard on me for the banality of it, it's just really annoying me.

OP posts:
Threadkillacilla · 27/11/2022 09:39

I thought that was for hiccups? But you didn't imagine it, my family said shite like that all the time.

LisaJool · 27/11/2022 09:42

My family used to chant "look up to the light" at anyone experiencing the desire to sneeze. Equally annoying, but it does work I say it now too.

WhereTheFuckIsMyFuckingCoat · 27/11/2022 09:48

Aaaaarrrggghhh!! Have I just found my people?? Haha

It was definitely to stop you sneezing in my house, however even the fact that someone else has heard of it makes me irrationally happy!

Also, the only reason it came to my mind, was because my youngest was having a "half sneeze" moment and I told him to go look at the light!!

The look at the light thing (which btw 100% works) was so much more satisfying than the "boo to a goose", because the end result was fulfilling the evasive sneeze, and not a weird empty "damn! I needed to sneeze" moment 🤣

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