New Year superstitions?

I too never heard about the washing, until I was telling an older friend what I achieved on a New a year's day, quite a few years ago. She was horrified I had done some washing.
I asked my Mum about this, it was new to her also. Wonder if this was a Regional thing?

I don’t worry about washing on NYD. If I don’t do it it’s because I did it on NYE or because I’m always too busy, but this morning, our dog had an accident so into the washer they went.

Scottish friends of ours used to clean the house from top to bottom on New Years Eve and throw a party in the evening.

Just before midnight a tall dark man (one of the guests) went outside the front door and re-entered at midnight carrying bread, money and a live coal (held with tongs) and put it back in the fireplace. We then all gathered in a circle, crossed our arms and held hands to sing "Auld Lang Syne". There would then be a toast to the New Year and lots of hugging and kissing.

Yes, we always did first footing and that wasn't in Scotland.

A dark haired man would go outside the back door and come back in through the front door with a piece of bread, coal and money.

Mollygo did your dog survive, that was a bit harsh! 😄

B9exchange

Mollygo did your dog survive, that was a bit harsh! 😄

😂😂
That’ll teach me to check before posting. We put the dog in the shower and her bedding into the washer. She’s fine, but the washing is still wet.

I did my washing yesterday, but today I have cleaned the house and put the bin out. None of my neighbours has put their bin out though. Is that some other superstition?

Cabbie21

I did my washing yesterday, but today I have cleaned the house and put the bin out. None of my neighbours has put their bin out though. Is that some other superstition?

Bins go out on Mondays here!

Casdon

You wash away a life Aveline, apparently. It’s a silly superstition, but I never wash on New Years Day either, just in case.

Never heard this before😁
I haven’t done any washing today but the machine has.I loaded it and added powder, does that count?
I honestly don’t understand anyone believing in superstitions.

My aunt was terrible for superstitions and I should never have listened to her but once heard, never forgotten.

kittylester

I never wash on NYD either. As I finished all my washing today, does anyone know if I can iron it tomorrow?

No! You must wait until Michaelmass, on no account do any ironing until then.🤭

Allira

Norah

Lentils for good luck.

Eat them or throw them over your shoulder?

Pour them into a dark haired man’s hat 🎩 but not until midnight.

Aveline

I've really never heard that washing superstition before. I had a shower and washed my hair though - what will that mean?

Hair today gone tomorrow?

Oreo

Allira

Norah

Lentils for good luck.

Eat them or throw them over your shoulder?

Pour them into a dark haired man’s hat 🎩 but not until midnight.

😁

Oreo, good point about you not doing the washing, only the machine.
Having already ignored the superstition (which I didn’t know about) by making the machine wash the dog’s stuff, I’ve just loaded our washing machine with the bedding from our guests . . . But I won’t press the go button until 00.01 tomorrow, just in case.

In case of what tho?
A few superstitions may have some merit, not walking under a ladder and so on but the rest are just made up things.
We could start some new ones?
Never cut your toe nails on a wet Monday
Don’t ever bring pink wellies into the house
If you break a plate throw pudding rice over your shoulder
If you see two rappers together touch your ears
If a shoplifter crosses your path shout Timbuctoo
And so on and so forth🤭

Never heard the washing one , done two loads this morning!

Never heard of that one. Not generally superstitious unless it's practical, like walking under a ladder, not want anything dropping on me.

I am from yorkshire, and I didnt know the washing superstition for NY day, but in general it was seen as shocking to be washing on a sunday and having it on the line in full view. You were seen as a slovenly and disorganised housekeeper if you had to have washing ou on a sunday. But very much superstitions about first footing. When my lovely husband was alive, he had to leave by the back door with
1. a piece of bread (may you never go hungry)
2. a piece of coal (may you never go cold)
3. a shined up shilling (may you never be without money)
With gas central heating we had had to find someone with a coal fire to scrounge a bit of coal from and that has travelled with us for more than 20 years!
So he would then walk round to the front door, and even if it was raining, there was no way he could come in until the clock started striking. We would hear the ships hooters etc to confirm my checking my watch and he would then knock on the door and I would answer with a small glass of single malt.
He then had to say May God bless all here and step inside and I would give him his whsky. The three things would be put in their little box and that would go back to its place in a tall cupboard. Then we would stand with the door open, to let in the New Year and I would have a drink too and we would raise our glasses and wish a Happy New Year to all our family where ever they were to all friends and relations and wish peace to the world. Then we would go in. Sadly I dont have a back door here now and am alone, but I still go to the door and step outside with my things and then come back in the house saying bless all who live here.
I also have the rituals that I would have the washing done, so no dirty clothes in the linen basket , would tidy up and have clean sheets on the bed. On new years eve, I go through my money and make sure that I am paid up and there are no outstanding bills. Obviously I dont mean your mortgage etc, but in the days we had the milkman, he used to call for his money ont he saturday. If New Year fell on the thursday, I would count out his money and put it in an envelope and seal it and put milkman on the envelope. The idea was that if the money was put away with a name on it was out of your purse, so not yours anymore. We also used to clean the shoes well. While it may sound just superstitious, I still follow the ideas, as in reality you are trying to face the new year in the best way you can, and being paid up and clean and tidy seems quite a good idea to me.This year I am not happy, because the wretched insurance have not paid for the hotel. Technically it is their bill not mine, and I know that they will pay, but I do not like the fact that there is £4000 owing on my account!! Not a good start to my year, but will go and look at my lovely new bathroom and try to convince myself that as it is their bill to pay, the fact that my name is on the account doesnt matter!
So I wish you all a better 2025 , to be in touch with those you love, and have good health to enjoy what the year brings.

Oh dear, I had never heard of this and I did a big load of washing yesterday. No good luck for me then

What a lovely thread, brought back some happy memories of my father. A Yorkshire man with very dark hair and tall. Although we lived in Leicestershire he always did the first footing and lots of houses on The Avenue where we lived asked him to call. He was never steady when he returned after all the tots. He also had brushes for sweeping chimneys and would arrive at a wedding if requested by family or friends to bestow good luck on marriages. I still practice some superstitions and must leave a house through the door I entered and never ever walk under ladders.

my Mum always said you would go to hell if you washed on new years day, that and fish on good fridays
The peacock feather in the house thing too - bad luck
pants on the line - oh that wasn't a superstition just shame - and talking of shame = red underwear

I stopped someone from walking under a ladder at work, she had never heard of it!

we have always done the coal thing except the last two years as we no longer have a coal fire - out with the old, in with the new

I live in Scotland and just learnt recently about not ding washing on New Years Day(I am part Italian).I decided to do a wash anyway but had not heard the part that someone is washed out of your life,

JaneJudge

my Mum always said you would go to hell if you washed on new years day, that and fish on good fridays
The peacock feather in the house thing too - bad luck
pants on the line - oh that wasn't a superstition just shame - and talking of shame = red underwear

I stopped someone from walking under a ladder at work, she had never heard of it!

Hilarious 😂