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PARENTAL WISDOM

Any More Than 3 Socks Is an Extravagance, and 8 Other Gems From My Brainy Father

Thrifty tips and life lessons — some more useful than others

Gill McCulloch
ILLUMINATION
Published in
7 min readFeb 12, 2024

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Colourful, patterned socks pegged onto a washing line against a backdrop of blue sky and clouds.
Photo by Nick Page on Unsplash

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My dad once told me you only need three socks — not three pairs — just three socks, preferably black. He figured if you wash one sock every night, hang it to dry and rotate through the socks — you’ll always have a relatively clean pair to wear.

This advice came from his hostelling days during the war when money was tight, and mothers would darn their family’s woollen socks. My father and his med school friends would go on cycling trips, staying at hostels along the way. They carried only essential items in their canvas backpacks with no room for extra clothing.

Black socks they never get dirty
The longer you wear them, the stronger they get
Sometimes I think of the laundry
But then I keep saying, “Not yet. Not yet.”

— Camp song. Origins unknown.

Incidentally, Albert Einstein — who was almost as brainy as my father, didn’t believe in wearing socks. His excuse…

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ILLUMINATION
ILLUMINATION

Published in ILLUMINATION

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Gill McCulloch
Gill McCulloch

Written by Gill McCulloch

I write about first aid, subjects that move me deeply and situations that make me laugh. Founder, Safe + Sound First Aid Training Ltd. gillnmcculloch@gmail.com

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