Rabbit Rabbit!

[KnottedYet]

Rabbit, Rabbit, everyone!

[Haudlady]

Right back at you!:D

On the first of every month (and especially on the first of the year)... my mom taught me that the first word out of your mouth should be "rabbit" for good luck. When I was nine or so, I changed it to this...

Rabbit... Black Rabbit, White Hare, Black Stallion, White Mare.

This habit hasn't died yet! And hey - I feel pretty lucky so far!

Funny to hear that someone else knows about this. I thought my mom was just crazy.:rolleyes:

[margo49]

I *just* missed it this month coz I said something first. And I thought about it specially before I went to sleep too.

[pooks]

Thats a new one to me. I wonder where it originated?

[KnottedYet]

there was another rabbit rabbit thread a few months ago, and someone figured out where it came from.

[mary9761]

oops, I almost forgot!!! Rabbit, Rabbit!!

[margo49]

Same thing happened again.
And I thought about it as soon as I started to regain consciousness too. Then the dog said something and I answered him.

[chickwhorips]

hmmm... didn't know of this. does this mean i'll have bad luck?

[CyclChyk]

Ok I too have never heard of this.... might explain my mishaps with clipless, not winning the lotto, and plateauing on the weight loss......

hmmm... is it too late??? RabbitRabbit (just in case. Do I need to cross my fingers when I say it?)

[mary9761]

I had never heard about it until coming to TE myself and of course I missed saying it right away in the morning. What reminded me of it was hearing a DJ on the radio say it yesterday morning on the way to baby sitting my grands, of course it still took me a while to remember it LOL... Here is the info I found at wikipedia about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_rabbit

“Rabbit rabbit” is a common superstition, held particularly among children. The most common modern version states that a person should say “rabbit, rabbit” upon waking on the first day of each new month, and on doing so will receive good luck for the remainder of that month.

Origins and history
The exact origin of the superstition is unknown, though it has appeared in print at least as early as 1920 in England, where it is most commonly said to have originated, though some reports place its origins even earlier, into the 1800s. Today it has spread to most of the English-speaking countries of the world, although like all folklore, determining its exact area of distribution is difficult. The superstition is related to the broader belief in the rabbit or hare being a “lucky” animal, as exhibited in the practice of carrying a rabbit's foot for luck.

Variations
As with most folklore, which is traditionally spread by word of mouth, there are numerous variant versions of the “rabbit, rabbit” superstition, in some cases specific to a certain time period or region. There are hundreds of variants, some of the most common of which include:

The inverse: instead of believing that saying it will bring good luck, believing that not saying it will bring bad luck.
Instead of saying “rabbit, rabbit”, saying just “rabbit”, or “rabbits”. Some also extend it to three rabbits: “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit,” which has some of the earliest written references.
The earliest referenced usage may be to saying “rabbits” three times before going to sleep the last night of the month, and then “hares” three times first thing upon waking, though just two years later, it was three “rabbits” in the morning with no “hares” at all.
Gilda Radner is reported to have said "bunny bunny" upon waking on the first day of every month. Alan Zweibel used her variation as the title of his book recounting their friendship.
Using the night of the new moon (traditionally the first day of the lunar month) instead of the first night of the month.
Saying “black rabbits” the night before, and “white rabbits” on the morning in question.
Believing that the effect is stronger on one's month of birth.
Referring to the first day of each month as “Rabbit Day”.
Various ways to counteract forgetting to say it, most commonly saying it backwards (“tibbar, tibbar”) before falling asleep.
A different but related practice of saying “Happy White Rabbit's Day” to someone in order to bring good luck.
Making “rabbit, rabbit” be the last words said on the last of the month and the first words said on the first of the month.
One variation involves an element of competition: Saying “rabbit, rabbit” to another person on the first of the month entitles the speaker to the luck of the listener for the duration of the month.
Traditions also extend to saying on the first of each month: “A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month; white rabbit!” White rabbit is declared to be the “no returns” policy on the “pinch and the punch” the receiver felt. Origins of this saying is unknown.
Saying "White rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits".
A more modern variation is to say “rabbit, rabbit” to someone on the first day of the month, and whoever says it first wins. The idea of luck is not involved.
Harold Nicolson, the politician and diplomat, often said "Rabbits" not only on the first of the month, but as a general talisman in his long-running diary, held at Balliol College, Oxford.
Some traditions have had difficulty adapting this to modern times. A strict "no voice mail, email, texting" rule has been set by many followers of this superstition or game. Seeing as how the end result of the game (regardless of any beliefs about superstition) is is keeping in touch with a group of people in a vine-like fashion, the point is really to speak to a person face to face or on the phone. And the good luck it brings is always an added benefit.