Where does ‘pinch punch first of the month’ come from and why do we say it?

As one of the final months of the summer season begins, you can expect an opportunistic loved one to pounce on you today with the saying: ‘Pinch punch first of the month.’

The common British phrase is used by many people on the first day of each month – with some following it up with ‘white rabbits’ or ‘a punch and a kick for being so quick’.

They, along with hundreds of other odd sayings and phrases, have been passed down through decades of generations – but where exactly do they originate from? 

As with most peculiar superstitions and phrases, there are various theories that suggest or support where their origin may have originated.

Here FEMAIL reveals everything you need to know about the origin of the saying.

Why do we say ‘pinch, punch first of the month?’ 

Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of the phrase, it has been reported that President George Washington began the tradition. 

During his presidency (1789-97), George Washington would meet with Native American tribes on the first day of each month and provide fruit punch with an added pinch of salt.

This ultimately became known as ‘pinch punch first of the month.’ 

Another theory behind the tradition dates back to medieval times when witchcraft was a huge concern among people.  

Salt was intended to make witches weak, and so the ‘pinch’ signified the use of salt to weaken the sorceress, while the ‘punch’ was delivered to banish the witch forever. 

The phrase, therefore, was suggested to symbolise welcoming in a new month while protecting oneself from bad luck.  

Over the years, the words within the saying have become more literal, with many receiving a pinch and punch as a practical joke by loved ones. 

‘White rabbits’ is a phrase used to accompany ‘pinch punch’ to avoid being pinched and punched back – but where does this bizarre saying come from? (Photo: Alamy)

Why do people say ‘white rabbits’ in response to ‘pinch punch, first of the month’? 

In response to ‘pinch, punch, first of the month,’ some will respond with ‘white rabbits, no return,’ to avoid any more back and forth.

The phrase was first recorded in the Notes and Queries book – which was a British periodical in which experts wrote about folklore – in 1909. 

An entry from the book reads: ‘My two daughters are in the habit of saying ‘Rabbits!’ on the first day of each month. 

‘The word must be spoken aloud, and be the first word said in the month. It brings luck for that month. Other children, I find, use the same formula.’

During WWII, it was also a belief among RAF aircrew that saying ‘white rabbits’ when you woke up would protect you from harm. 

If an individual were to give you a pinch and a punch in the morning and fails to follow up with ‘white rabbit,’ the advice was not to punch the person back.

Where did ‘a flick and a kick for being so quick’ originate from? 

Another popular way to respond to ‘pinch, punch’ is: ‘A flick and a kick for being so quick.’ 

The phrase reportedly originated in the West County as a humorous form of retaliation  

These old phrases, despite their many differing origin theories, continue to be used commonly among Brits today.