where does the phrase once in a blue moon originate
Blue moon Owing to the rarity of a blue moon, the term "blue moon" is used colloquially to mean a rare event, as in the phrase "once in a blue moon".[4][5]
Rabbit rabbit rabbit The exact origin of the superstition is unknown, though it was recorded in Notes and Queries as being said by children in 1909:
William Edward Hickson The proverb can be traced back to the writings of Thomas H. Palmer in his Teacher's Manual, and The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat.[3]
Eleanor Rigby The song is often described as a lament for lonely people[16] or a commentary on post-war life in Britain.[17][18]