Dick's Rabbitings

Actually, I'm looking for anything that describes the First of month - Rabbit tradition. Is there anything in print? Where did this originate? When? Very few friends (none?) that I have spoken to have ever heard of this, although a variant has been in active use in my family for at least 80 years.

I like the Lewis Carroll pictures and text, but I don't quite see the connection. Did Carroll or one of his characters say Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit on the first of a month? - Thanks.

- Dick on 1/3/2001

I asked my Dad about his recollections of this. He's 86. He says when he and his parents and brother and sister were visiting an uncle in Denver in 1922, the uncle told them about Rabbit on the first of the month. The uncle had been in England during WW I and Dad assumes that's where he came upon it.

I don't know what the uncle told them, exactly, of course. It could have been "Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit." But in my Dad's family, and now in mine and my sisters and our children's families (multiplies like rabbits!) it's simply a "gotcha" contest to see who can remember to say "Rabbit" first on the first of each month. With some vague, unspecified good luck notion in the background. If the phone rings on New Years morning, just answer with "RABBIT!" and then try to explain afterward if it wasn't a family member.

Of course, nowadays with E-mail, the people in earlier time zones have an unfair advantage. My sister in Africa got the rest of us frequently - when she remembered! But of course, remembering is the key…

About six years ago I saw a new book in a bookstore about rabbit lore and legends, and there were a number of references to first-of-the-month customs. I should have bought it! Now I can't find the book on Amazon or elsewhere. It would probably help if I could remember the author or title. I thought it was "The Rabbit Book" but apparently not.- Best regards

- Dick on 4/9/2001