The First Of The Month

~ beetleypete

I just noticed it is the 1st of September today. As you can tell, I don’t pay much attention to the calendar since I retired.

That made me think of going into school as a child on the first day of any month. I would be alert and ready, determined to get in first before the scramble began. As soon as we were inside the playground waiting to assemble to go into school, the pinching and punching of arms would commence.

Everyone would be shouting, “Pinch, punch, first day of the month. And no returns!”

Adding “No returns” was important, as that meant you could not do the same to the person who had just pinched and punched your arm.

Do you remember this tradition? Or do you have to be as old as me to recall it?

‘A pinch and a punch for the first of the month. (Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) Said on the first day of a new month, while pinching and punching someone as a prank (especially by children).’

70 thoughts on “The First Of The Month”

  13. For me it was “Hares and rabbits, rabbits and hares”. Had to be the first words you spoke. The “No returns” came after returning an insult “Same to you and no returns” or “With brass knobs on”! I do still say hares and rabbits. I think there is another version with other creatures but can’t remember what.

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    1. Some say White Rabbits, but for me it was always this.
      “A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month. And no returns!”
      It was every month too, not just September.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    2. I believe one of our versions was the “Hertz Donut.” Wherein someone would say “Wanna Hertz Donut” and some fool would respond “Sure” and there was the pinch pr punch or “frog” knuckle followed with “Hurts, (don’t it) donut?”

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      1. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/say-white-rabbits-first-month-14348834

        I have a “friend” that rings me up at midnight end of each month to say “p & a p”. I really do appreciate it grrrr. .
        Some Kiwis try to be smart & message it to UK friends 12 hours ahead. I’m not one to do that Pete!
        My ambulance boss (Skip McPhee) received an emergency call from a work party to say “p & a p”. He got the call traced and a month later got all of us and many hospital staff to ring all those at that work place and give it back to them. My boss told the boss at that workplace, that would be repeated and our fire colleagues would do an emergency evacuation. That workplace cleaned out wagons for us during their work hours on the first of next month.

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