‘Misfortune’ is ahead if you do these on New Year’s Day
As 2026 rings in on January 1 many of us will be keen to make a fresh start, perhaps start some resolutions and celebrate the first day of the year with friends, family or traditions. But there are some age-old superstitions surrounding what not to do on New Year’s Day – and many people avoid such things fearing misfortune.
Perhaps the best known is to avoid doing your laundry on New Year’s Day as this old superstition warns that if you do you’ll “wash one of the family away”. Other versions of this old wives’ tale go along the lines of doing laundry on January 1 will “wash all the good luck away” for the coming new year. However, there are several more superstitions surrounding New Year’s Day, including not showering if “you want to be lucky” in 2026 – and several even stranger unproven myths.
1. Avoid laundry
As noted previously, it’s considered unlucky to do any type of laundry on New Year’s Day if you want a prosperous year ahead.
2. Showering or bathing
The “bad luck” surrounding washing yourself on New Year’s Day seems to stem from the same theory of “washing good luck away”. It is followed in various cultures in the east and west of the world with many waiting until January 2 to take a shower.
3. Sweeping or cleaning your home
It’s considered good luck to start the new year with a clean house, however cleaning on January 1 is said to have the opposite effect. Superstitious folk hold off from sweeping or cleaning on New Year’s Day due to the unproven belief that it’s “unlucky” and you’ll be sweeping (or cleaning) the good luck for the coming year away.
4. Empty cupboards
Entering a new year with empty food cupboards could herald financial hardship, according to folklore, so it’s best to resist the urge to clear out cupboards on January 1. Superstition around sparse looking cupboards on New Year’s Day could “bring bad luck”, with full cupboards “signifying” a prosperous year ahead.
5. Sleeping in late or missing midnight
A Polish tradition stipulates that if you want to get up early all year round you should also get out of bed early on New Year’s Day, even if you’ve had a big night out. However, missing midnight and the transition from the old year to the new could also be unlucky, according to superstition.
6. Opening your windows or doors
An Irish tradition is that just before midnight on New Year’s Eve you should “open the back door of your house to let the old year out”. This is followed by then opening the front door to “let the new year in” just after midnight.
Opening your windows to “let the old year go” and then letting the new year in comes from the same kind of superstition. Considering the chilly weather, if you follow this one over the new year period you’ll certainly be feeling fresh for the beginning of 2026.
