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).’
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Not in America. You didn’t say how and if you liked or disliked the tradition.
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It was only at junior school that I recall it happening. We just accepted it as part of school life and long-standing tradition, Jennie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Traditions are traditions, and we just go along with them. Best to you, Pete.
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I remember that, Pete and am still reminded every month without fail as one of my friends at literally a second past midnight get her pinch punch on FB every 1st month without fail xxx
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At least FB ones don’t hurt. 🙂 Glad to hear the tradition is alive, Carol.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Absolutely, Pete and the comments are always fun.. Hehexx
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I’ve watched hundreds of school traditions, but that’s one I’ve never heard of. Perhaps it’s a geographic thing.
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I think it must be, Pete.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Remember it well.
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I thought you might, Bobby.
Cheers mate, Pete.
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Another reason why education is harmful to our children 🙂 Warmest regards,Theo
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I doubt it would be allowed now, Theo. Too ‘violent’.
Best wishes, Pete.
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We didn’t have the punch and pinch game but when you saw a Volkswagen Beetle you would punch your neighbors arm and yell beetle! Thank God that trend faded away. Hugs, C
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We had no VW beetle punching, but that was mentioned further down in the comments, Cheryl. Uniquely American, I suspect.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Hi Pete, I don’t recall this. It would not have been allowed at either of the two convents I attended and the other schools were a whirl as we moved so frequently.
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I am sure Convent schools would have banned it, Robbie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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😊
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I don’t remember any punching at school quite like that, but I do remember ‘no returns,’ and the Hertz Donut mentioned above! 😄
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You were halfway there, Susanne. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Was anybody scolded for punchin’ Judy?
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That pun hurt more than a pinch and punch, David.
Best wishes, Pete.
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“And no returns!” HILARIOUS. What a wondrous time that was – we didn’t know anything and the whole world was ours to conquer….
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Exactly that, John. The innocence of a carefree childhood.
Best wishes, Pete.
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We did not have pinch, punch traditions in my area, Pete. Which is a good thing because no one would have honored that “no returns” rule!
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Few us children honoured that either, Bruce. Just the ‘traditionalists’, like me. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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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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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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My husband still does this and thinks he’s so funny, and I totally break the rules and ignore the no-backs!
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Well done, Dorothy. Some rules are meant to be broken! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Now, if I can get my grandkids to stop tapping me every time they spy a padiddle…or a punch-buggy!
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I had to look those up, Dorothy. 🙂
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My granddaughter punched me when we recently passed a volkswagen (gently of course) and I told her that when I owned my beetle back in the day, I must have created a million punches! She thought that was quite funny.
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I am with you…the calendar means very little except for any doctor’s visits…..chuq
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Those, and my own birthday. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Somebody punches or pinches me, I can assure there is no question of a return experience .. and a return experience of some enhanced strength, I will tell you.
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It was a childhood game, John. It didn’t hurt that much as the pinches and punches had to be on the arm only. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Ah, I understand now… but some kids can be rough … and no one would dare do that to a girl …
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The girls did it to each other, John. 🙂
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I never heard of it. Like Liz said, it must not have made its way across the pond.
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Thanks, GP. It is supposed to bring luck to the person pinched and punched. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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It sounds like the reverse, but okay… 🙄
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I’ve never heard of this game. It must not have made its way to the US.
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That seems to be the case, Liz.
Best wishes, Pete.
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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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That’s a sneaky one, Phil!
Best wishes, Pete.
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I remember it, 🙂 it was also my Mums birthday so she got the pinch, punch and a hug. 🙂
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We had it going on every month on the 1st. Glad your mum got the hug too. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes I remember this tradition, and how the bullies loved to take part.
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I remember everyone being happy to do it. There wasn’t much bullying at my junior school, fortunately.
Best wishes, Pete.
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There was one horrible girl who led a group of followers. I tried to stay well clear of them.
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Happy September 1st! I’ve never heard of this one but I’m in the US. There is a pinch/slap game my students play on birthdays (I teach teenagers).
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Sounds similar. It is supposed to be lucky, but spending all day with sore arms didn’t feel lucky when I was a child. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yep did that though if I caught my brother though the no returns was ignored as he clattered me…
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Luckily, I had no brother, Geoff.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Had there been eBay back then, I’d have sold him…
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We didn’t do this when I was growing up. It was a very German settlement so that may explain why. September 1 always makes me think of starting something new, school, jobs, etc.
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I think it was actually started in America in the 18th century, but may have gone over with the English settlers in some form.
Best wishes, Pete.
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kid’s traditions are never forgotten – we didn’t have that one here –
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As I said to Jon, I doubt it would be allowed in schools now. It would be considered to be ‘violent’.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I still do it every now and then, mother got me today when I was eating breakfast annoyingly.
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Top marks to your mum, George!
Best wishes, Pete.
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and White Rabbits
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I never said that, but I have heard of the expression.
Best wishes, Pete.
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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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Thanks for the link. I had heard about saying that, but never knew anyone who said it.
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I think it could be one of many traditions which has gradually slipped out of use, with the advance of television and, more recently, social media with all its memes & distractions. Cheers, Jon.
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I doubt it would be allowed in schools today. Too ‘violent’. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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You’re probably not wrong there, Pete!
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It wasn’t allowed then. But, somehow it persisted. Warmest regards, Theo
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