Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for F545 returned 257 results.
Good Luck (Italian)
Throw salt over left shoulder for good luck. The
paternal grandfather does this on the day of a wedding
or birth.
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00001972CA
Yugoslavian Wedding
Each side has 14 people standing up in the wedding.
No one in the wedding party can be married, except
for the maid of honor.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UTICA
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Number P686.1.14 |
Date learned: 11-16-1990
Yugoslavian Wedding
Each person in the wedding party has
to give the bride and groom a party within one
year. This is 34 parties in all.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UTICA
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Number P686.1.33 |
Date learned: 11-16-1990
Yugoslavian Wedding
When the guests arrive, they must knock on the bride's
bedroom door. When she opens the door they must offer
her money. If the bride doesn't feel it is enough, she
won't let the guest in to visit her.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UTICA
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Date learned: 11-16-1990
In Russia, newlyweds place flowers at the nearest statue
of Lenin for good luck throughout their marriage.
Where learned: NEW JERSEY ; Tuckerton
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Good luck |
Prior to 1951, at weddings they used fruitcake for a wedding
cake and wrapped pieces in cellophane, then wrapped in a
a doily. The couple then visited each individual guest and
gave them a piece of cake with a note that said thank you for
sharing in this joyous occasion or something to that effect.
Submitter comment:
The informant did not know if this was still practiced, but at
the last wedding she attended they did not do this.
Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO
Keyword(s): GIFT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Date learned: 00-00-1951
In many English Weddings, the shoe of the bride is thrown
by the principal bridesmaid, and the others run after it.
It is supposed that she who gets it will be married first.
It is then thrown amongst the men and he who is hit
will be first wedded.
Submitter comment: Old English custom.
Where learned: ENGLAND ; LONDON
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
Mock Wedding
It is a tradition in Marcie's Polish family to have a
mock wedding, the day after an actual wedding ceremony
takes place in the family. All the guests assume positions
in the wedding, and act out another wedding and reception.
They sometimes dress in strange outfits, and invent humorous
themes for the various positions in the wedding party.
Examples: a jilted lover, bride dresses like a whore, the
groom is too drunk to stand up straight, etc.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; JACKSON
Keyword(s): pretend
James Callow Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | Favorites DRAMA -- Secular CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Date learned: 00001970S
NEVER GET MARRIED DURING A MONTH IN WHICH THE BRIDE OR THE
GROOM WAS BORN. IF THIS HAPPENS IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST 7 YEARS TO
CONCEIVE A CHILD.
Where learned: CHICAGO
| Subject headings: | 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Measure of time Month |
Date learned: 00001940S
At Oakland Sanctified Church no wedding rings are allowed to be
given during the ceremony; wedding watches take the place of the
rings.
Submitter comment:
Leah says this is to prevent the competition of big diamonds
amongst the church members.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Measure of time BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth |
Date learned: 00001980S
A penny in your shoe,
And wearing something blue.
Will keep your marriage true.
Submitter comment:
The informant can recall the exact date she learned this because
it is the day of her marriage to Willis Muckle. Her mother gave her
the penny and a blue flower for her hair. The marriage lasted more
than thirty-five years.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): LOVE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Color |
When a Greek couple is in the process of getting married and the
minister says "...to honor and obey..." the bride steps on the
groom's toe with force to show to herself that she does not have to
obey him.
Submitter comment:
My informant told me that this occurs so the bride can prove to
herself that she does not fear her husband. If she can't bring
herself to do this, she carries with her the doubt of having any
authority in the marriage. To this day this can be seen in Greek
weddings. This applies even to some Greek weddings that occur in
America if the families decide to follow tradition.
Where learned: GREECE
Keyword(s): authority
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Marriage |
Hazing
Hazing is a common practice in the Seals, but the traditional
pre-marriage hazing is a practice worth mentioning. Before a member
of a Seal team is married, the other men in the team will kidnap him,
strip him, shave his body hair, tie him to a pier, throw him in the
ocean or bay, and let him "bob" for the remainder of the day.
Submitter comment:
Being the fiance of a Seal, I am not particularly fond of this
tradition.
Where learned: United States Navy Seals
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing |
Date learned: 01-00-1990
Wedding ring inscriptions are a secret until wedding. My
husband and I were surprised to find we had ordered the same:
"Forever."
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Date learned: 00-00-1991
Wedding Ring
Women wearing wedding rings goes back to barbaric times when
wives were treated by their husbands a little better than slaves.
The custom was to fasten a chain on a slave as a mark of ownership,
and often married women were forced to wear a chain around their
neck.
Later men realized women were helpmates and the custom of treating
them like slaves gradually ceased, but men still wished to show
visible possession of a wife. This took the form of a ring on the
finger of the wife's left hand, which is nearer the heart.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Body part Senses |
Date learned: 02-02-1992
Wedding Custom
At a Polish wedding at midnight, the traditional wedding dance
takes place. The bride dances with her father, then with her
husband, while all the people at the reception stand around them in
a circle and sing "The Twelve Angels." At the end of the dance the
maid of honor takes off her hairpiece and the bride takes off her
veil and places it on the head of the maid of honor. This
symbolizes going from a fair young maiden to a married woman.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HAMTRAMCK
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Marriage CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Marriage |
Date learned: 03-00-1992
A bride should have something old.
something new.
something borrowed.
something blue.
Submitter comment: This is for luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Good luck |
Unknown
Jumping the broom.
Submitter comment:
Same meaning as getting married. This term is used in the
South.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
In slavery times, a couple wishing to be married was required
to jump the broom. If they both successfully jumped over, it was
a sign of a good, long, happy marriage.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): African Wedding customs
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Date learned: 03-00-1978
Who Gives?
Who gives this woman to be wed?
Her mother and I.
We gave her dawn
And gave her grace.
We stamped our images
Upon her face.
We gave her books,
And calmed her fears.
We gave her faith.
We gave her prayer.
And now in solemn troth
We swear,
We cannot give,
Only share.
Submitter comment:
This was recited to me by my grandmother just prior to my
wedding.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.345 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Date learned: 00001970S