We’re all familiar with the idea that it’s bad luck to keep your festive decor up past the Twelfth Night, but who knew laundry at the dawn of the New Year could stir superstition?
It turns out, there are numerous old wives’ tales suggesting that doing laundry on New Year’s Day brings nothing but dire consequences. According to these beliefs, which may be charming or alarming depending on your viewpoint, washing clothes as the calendar turns to January could spell a year devoid of good fortune — some even warn it may lead to the loss of a family member.
The origins of such a peculiar belief remain a mystery, yet it’s clear that many take it seriously, with some going as far as avoiding dishwashing on the day just in case, reports the Manchester Evening News. One local Manchester mum admitted her encounter with the superstition was recent, courtesy of a social media revelation: “I’d never heard of it but it was on a discussion on a Mrs Hinch page on Facebook,” she shared.
“I’m 100% following it and there will definitely no washing in my house.”
Beyond laundry, there are other New Year’s superstitions from not taking anything outside, including trash, to ensure prosperity remains within, to food-related beliefs like considering pork auspicious, given pigs push forward when eating — unlike lobsters or crabs, whose sideways motion spells bad luck. Do any of these New Year’s Day beliefs ring true for you?
Drop us a comment and let us know.