What does saying rabbit rabbit mean

And finally realized that in this new world of instant information, I finally have the means to answer that question. That validated me right there. According to the Wikipedia entry, the origin of this custom in unknown but it can be traced back to perhaps the 15th century, maybe even the 13th — good heavens! The reasons for the word Rabbit as opposed to Luck!

Or Help! Or Hello! It is ironic to me that both my grandmother and my father, in fact, their entire family, were possessed of the notion that they were unlucky, that fortune did not favor them. They were badly affected by the Depression and further by World War II and so perhaps the idea of saying Rabbit had a particular resonance and force for them.

They were devoted to the ritual. The tradition was extended on the first day of the new year, which called for walking backwards down the stairs and saying Rabbit at the same time. I remember an especially hilarious evening spent with my cousins on Cape Cod, not so long ago. I was visiting them at their beach house which had a treacherous set of wooden stairs that lead to the ocean. And so we all trooped outside into the cold and inky darkness and walked backward down the steps toward the ocean, shouting Rabbit into the stiff ocean breeze.

For that matter, once I say the word at the beginning of the month, I tend to forget the whole thing. But I do believe I should honor my family and maybe this is how I do it. At this late date in the family history, it would seem sacrilegious to abandon this tradition. And so I keep on. And delight when I find another soul who has carried this old superstition into the 21st century. And to all, I say, Rabbit! My husband and I make sure to continue the tradition as soon as the ball drops in Times Square and before we kiss and clink glasses.

My husband and I have adopted this practice as well. I am surprised and fascinated that so many people are familiar with doing this. I first heard it said in my college dorm in the seventies. To me it was just a fun thing and a bit if competition. I still think about it from time to time, but no one around me says it, so it remains a fond memory.

And I still do it. I never did. I just did it. Maybe just in case! The practice among the kids in my home town, on the first of the month was to greet others , chanting, a pinch and a punch on the first of the month and no returns, and you had to get in quick, to deliver a pinch and a punch. I have no idea where this practice came from.

I was born and raised in Trinidad until about the age of I have held onto the rabbit rabbit rabbit on the first of each month my entire life.

I now love in Montreal, Canada with my children. My mother will never let me forget, and she will call to ask « Did you remember to say rabbit rabbit rabbit? Thanks for sharing this article with us.

My little old seventh grade English teacher, who looked like a rabbit herself, all twitchy and frightened, told us about this tradition. So interesting! So odd! May we have a remarkable month! I was told by my late husband to say Happy Rabbit day, he got that about years by a fellow worker John White who said the first person to say it had good luck all month.

Growing up in the suburbs of Massachusetts, and frequenting the outdoors of New Hampshire and Vermont, it was just a tradition.

I think I heard my sister say it one day and she told me about it and the rest is history. It is October 1, , and I woke up briefly at 2 AM in the morning. I went back to sleep and woke up and am having a fantastic day.

Be well and enjoy. My mom 95 years old born in Atlanta was raised with the help of a lovely Gullah woman from SC. Mom said rabbit rabbit as a kid taught by Ruthie. My siblings and I said it. Our children and grandchildren say it. We sure can use that now! Of course not in English. May be in New Englander dialect. This is because we behave like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland and run off. So I have always collected the white rabbit figurines, buttons, masks, etc. Back in my college days at UMass Amherst, my fellow Wheeler House residents and I would go to the dorm roof top deck to welcome in the new month.

I never knew where the tradition originated. I only knew it was for good luck. And it made for great fun memories back in the dorm.

From Indiana. So if my sister said it first she would get the good luck for the month. I grew up on the coastline of Maine. In third grade I had a dear friend named Carol. She was silly in all the best ways with a brilliant laugh, a short shock of black hair and freckled face. We would play in the pasture and slough behind her farm after school and almost every Saturday. I have tried, most often without success, to remember to do so since she shared her good luck charm with me over 50 years ago.

Most respond back and, of course, emoji bunnies have krept into the conversation. Fast forward about a decade and I was sitting with my grandmother just before midnight on the eve of August 1. Our family never did this, but I lived with a group of women from the Arts College at Cornell University is that significant?

I was in the Ag School… Anyway, one of them mentioned that her family always said Rabbit Rabbit, first thing on the first day of the month to assure good luck for the entire month.

We have friend who also say it. This article was great fun because only now did I decide to search out the origin, and was pleasantly surprised to learn about tibbar tibbar if I forget.

Now if only we could all say Rabbit Rabbit as the first thing on the first day of January while we walk backwards down the stairs…. I am English London is my home town…. My Bostonian family and I all say Rabbits Rabbits on the first of every month; I did it this morning! And meditation like physical exercise has no negative side effects, so good on ya! I grew up here in Canada with a mother from the Caribbean. Love seeing all these comments of similar traditions in families!

From Bedfordshire, England. My Mum is very superstitious though. She even kissed the coalman on her wedding day for good luck. Oh and something I found weird; A work colleague told me her Mum keeps a jar of loose thread. So if she picks it up or finds it from your clothing it belongs in the jar. I remember seeing this on Nickelodeon when I was a kid. My brother and I did this as a joke. I always wondered the origin. Thanks for researching on this charming English tradition.

As far as I know, it was supposed to bring money, rather than general good luck. My husband never actually believed in it, neither did I, but we still said it on the first of every month, and I still do now, 6 years after his death. As kids of course we did too. I called her today to ask if she said it and she did not because last month she had bad luck! Her friends thinks she nuts! They will all be receiving a copy. Thank you for writing this and researching the origin.

Years ago I read an article about this in Smithsonian Magazine, and really felt validified! Have a lucky month! I guess the joke was on me. According to word historian Martha Barnette , you can say "tibbar, tibbar" rabbit rabbit spelled backwards and still be in the clear. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter. Your Best Life. Type keyword s to search.

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Newest Oldest Most Voted. Inline Feedbacks. Every moth. Tamson Stone-Conrad. We say it 3 times. Sandi Duncan. Reply to Tamson Stone-Conrad. Reply to Laurice. Rabbit Rabbit! Wishing you many beautiful months filled with rabbits.

Susan Higgins. Reply to A friend. Debra J Dombrowski. Dorothy Metcalf. Jestin Deno. Reply to Betinna. Reply to She Don. My Irish grandfather told me to say that everyday. I learned about it on Nickelodeon when I was young and it stuck with me.

Reply to Lisa. Anneke Corbett. Reply to Cindy. I only know one person who does this and I think it is stupid!! Patrick Thomas. Keep reading to find out why this saying may be your next morning mantra. Though it sounds a bit like gibberish , the phrase rabbit rabbit is a long-held superstition thought to bring about good luck. Rather, if you say it on the first day of the month before any other words come out of your mouth, then luck is thought to be coaxed your way. If you get your rabbits in, luck is yours for 30 days … or so goes the folklore.

There are a few twists on this tradition. Some people say rabbit three times, while others say the phrase white rabbits. What if you forget to rabbit? Are you just out of luck?

So, if you ask for coffee before you remember rabbits , then tibbar, tibbar it is.