The cutting truth: Why you can't cut your hair on a Wednesday

[YeaBiGgiEs]

In the western world this holds true to Mondays. Interesting that its Wednesday here in Thailand

[klubex99]

Barbers normally close on Mondays in the UK. Because they are open on a Saturday, and that is their busiest day with many wanting a trim for the weekend and having to work through the week. So they open Saturday and close Monday when nobody seems to want a haircut.

This would have been the exact same reason for Thai barbers, but instead of Monday, they chose Wednesday. Then some silly superstitious person many generations ago would have not known the real reason and invented some stupid superstitious story to provide the reason, then it spreads like wildfire like Chinese whispers right across mega-superstitious Thailand.

[Docno]

My girlfriend runs a beauty shop in Issan. She says business goes down for haircutting on Wednesday, but she still gets the usual numbers for hair washing and nails. She's out with her best friends right now. When I called to ask her about this superstition, she said she and her friends will get their hair cut on any day of the week. So it's likely the superstition is running out of steam. [Now I wonder how many of us here feel a little trepidation when we walk under a ladder]

[kannot]

My girlfriend runs a beauty shop in Issan. She says business goes down for haircutting on Wednesday, but she still gets the usual numbers for hair washing and nails. She's out with her best friends right now. When I called to ask her about this superstition, she said she and her friends will get their hair cut on any day of the week. So it's likely the superstition is running out of steam. [Now I wonder how many of us here feel a little trepidation when we walk under a ladder]

There could easily be a good reason not to walk under a ladder......something might drop on your head from the person up it.

Spent 30 years working with ladders walked under many when no one was up them.

Excuse me I just have to hang some clothes out on the balconnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnny

.

[Torrens54]

Thanks for the info. My barber in Chiang Mai Land (The Lana Barber) is always closed on a Wednesday. I just put it down to the fact that he is open both Saturday and Sunday.

Thanks again

[attento]

old English rhyme

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of WOE

etc.,etc.,

Wednesday has been considered an unauspicious day in many cultures.

[snake24]

Another explanation for ‘No Haircut Wednesdays’ derives from the common Thai idiom ‘Don't cut on Wednesdays and don't pull out on Thursdays’,

does it apply to having sex on thursday so you have to leave it inside till friday?

[snake24]

Meanwhile in a thai language forum thais were discussing the odd supersitions of those farangs about how unlucky the number 13 is, opening umbrellas indoors, letting black cats cross their paths, how goats are evil creatures, the number 666 is evil and thought how silly of them sounded.

[bushwacker]

Well, they believe it is bad luck here in Nakhon Sawan. No idea why, but, they feel it is bad luck. I have not been able to get a cut on a Wednesday here. But, there are so many things that are bad luck, I am surprised we do not live in a cave and cook on a wood fire!

[Gsxrnz]

It would appear that Wednesday is the Black Friday in Thailand.

[Mosha]

Sometimes the less we know the happier we are.

Superstitions are an interesting social phenomenon in that it only applies to those within that particular culture because if you weren't aware of it how it could the bad lack possibly apply??

Thai's walk under ladders all the time, open umbrellas indoors (to the aghast of foreigners) and chug along oblivious to their unfortunate fate when a black cat crosses their path.

I always thought their was some kind of common sense behind most of these wives tales that have proven to be valid. Right now I'll take the barber's day off as the most sensible. Great read!

Growing up in Yorkshire - Black cats were considered lucky.

[Monkeyrobot]

I don't know what day it is anyway so bad luck for me maybe.

[historyprof]

Well, they believe it is bad luck here in Nakhon Sawan. No idea why, but, they feel it is bad luck. I have not been able to get a cut on a Wednesday here. But, there are so many things that are bad luck, I am surprised we do not live in a cave and cook on a wood fire!

Less than 5% of residential condo buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn have a designated 13th floor.

Cave indeed!

[prakhonchai nick]

It can't be bad luck to have a cremation on a Friday since one could argue bad luck had already befallen you!

[wooloomooloo]

My wife also applies this rule to the cutting of finger and toe nails - no cutting on a Wednesday.

[lee b]

Well the barbers are all open on wednesday here

[Nooky2]

That's fine. That's one less day to get a bad haircut.

[Johnniey]

My wife also applies this rule to the cutting of finger and toe nails - no cutting on a Wednesday.

So do most Thais.

Where I come from Sundays are unlucky for cutting nails.

[Somchai Mao]

As a kid in England many years ago I remember the shops used to close on Wednesday afternoons...why? Couldn't get a bar of soap let alone a haircut.

I remember that aswell. I also remember when UK pubs closed in the afternoons. Depressing days.