Pinch Punch

So, November already, where did that year go!? 

I always wondered why, in the UK, we say "pinch, punch" on the first of the month, it's a slightly bizarre thing to say (and do!) however after a bit of Googling I see that the origins of this playground staple are not only widely disputed but range from the unrealistically specific to the downright macabre! Many say it dates back to the middle ages when the god faring population used to believe in witches, the pinch refers  to salt to weaken them and punch to deliver a blow that wards them off for the next 30 days. I guess this is plausible, if somewhat optimistic, however the follow up schoolboy retort of "white rabbits" to prevent the recipient of your pinch and punch from retaliating seems even more abstract? I guess it's something to do with lucky rabbit's feet or Easter bunnies, but to be honest sometimes there's simply no accounting for what nonsense our ancestors believed, just smile and nod.