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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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JEWISH PEOPLE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A MEZUZAH ON THEIR MAIN DOOR
FRAME. THERE SHOULD BE ONE ON EVERY ENTRANCE, BUT THERE MUST
BE ONE ON THE MAIN DOOR. INSIDE THE MEZUZAH IS A TINY SCROLL
WITH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WRITTEN ON IT. A GOOD JEW IS
SUPPOSED TO KISS THE MEZUZAH ON THEIR WAY INTO THE HOUSE.
THIS PRACTICE IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WEST BLOOMFIELD

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window

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On the stroke of twelve (on New Year's Eve) every door
in the house has to be opened to allow the spirit of
the old year to leave.

Submitter comment: Her best friend's family did it when she was a little
girl, and she never forgot it.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR

Keyword(s): GHOST

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Measure of time Year

Date learned: 00001930S

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When it is exactly midnight, on New Year's Eve, someone
has to be outside, and they must go in by the back door
and out through the front door, and round, and in again
by the back.

Submitter comment: Her family has done that as far back as she can remember.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; JACKSON

Keyword(s): tradition

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Good luck

Date learned: 00001970S

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Money on the inside of your door on New Year's Eve will bring
you money all the year long.

Submitter comment: Gladys learned this from her mother and passed it down to me.

Where learned: DETROIT

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Maturity P544.2
BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth

Date learned: 00001960S

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Beads can be used as a door. String beads length wide from
top of door opening to the floor.

Submitter comment: I asked my sister why she was buying so many strings of
beads. She said, "Because I going to used them as a door to my
laundry room." She said many people used beads for door
decoration.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): lengthwise?

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Seed Bead Shell Tooth
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window

Date learned: 00-00-1989

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You should always keep your door ledges clean, because that's
where thoughts are held.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Home
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: 00-00-1971

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If you don't care for a person, and they come to your house
and you never want them to return to your home again. You should
sprinkle salt down and sweep it out the front door.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): Visitor

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Conversions
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 00-00-1990

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Enemies

A woman who practices "who-do" told her this when she visited
relatives in Chester County, Tennessee. To get rid of someone
that is no longer welcomed in your home, one should pour salt on
the doorway when the person leaves and sweep the salt out on the
ground.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Lansing

James Callow Keyword(s): Hoodoo

Subject headings: Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration
Favorites
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Earth
BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: 02-10-1992

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People used curtains as doors to separate rooms.

Where learned: GEORGIA

Keyword(s): Walls

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window

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BLOCKING A WINDOW (SUCH AS MAKING A WALL WHERE A
WINDOW ONCE WAS) WILL BRING BAD LUCK TO THE
HOUSEHOLD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities

Date learned: 03-24-1970

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WHEN ANYTHING HANGS ON A DOORKNOB, BAD LUCK WILL
OCCUR.

Submitter comment: FROM HER AUNT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities

Date learned: 00-00-1968

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IT IS BAD LUCK TO MAKE A NEW OPENING IN AN OLD
HOUSE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities

Date learned: 01-03-1970

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PUT A HORSESHOE OVER YOUR FRONT DOOR TO KEEP OUT
BAD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Conversions Horseshoe

Date learned: 01-17-1972

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IT IS CONSIDERED GOOD LUCK IF YOU KILL A SPIDER
GOING UP A WALL, BUT IF IT IS GOING DOWN A WALL
AND YOU KILL IT, THEN BAD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Good luck Animals
BELIEF -- Bad luck Animals
BELIEF -- Conversions Animals

Date learned: 11-02-1969

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IF A SMALL PIECE OF BLESSED PALM IS TIED AROUND
EVERY OUTSIDE DOORKNOB OF THE HOME, IT WILL BE
PROTECTED FROM STORMS OR ANY DAMAGE FROM THE
ELEMENTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: 663 Palm Sunday
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 10-26-1969

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WHEN BUILDING, NEVER MAKE A WINDOW OUT OF A DOOR OR A DEATH
WILL OCCUR.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 07-00-1972

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IF YOU MOVE INTO A FINISHED HOUSE AND CUT WINDOWS, SOMEONE
WILL DIE WITHIN A YEAR.

Where learned: MISSOURI ; PUXICO

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 07-28-1968

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IT IS BAD LUCK TO LEAVE A HOUSE THROUGH A WINDOW.

Submitter comment: I DO NOT REMEMBER WHERE I FIRST HEARD THIS SUPERSTITION.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Bad luck Leaving Entering Returning home Travel

Date learned: 07-29-1968

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THE CROSS CARVED INTO DOORS WAS TO KEEP OUT EVIL SPIRITS.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; MADISON

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Devil Demon
BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications

Date learned: 11-11-1973

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A RED DOOR MEANS A GIRL IS AVAILABLE IN THE HOUSE.

Where learned: TENNESSEE, ASSUMED ; MADISON

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Marriage Signs of availability
BELIEF -- Color

Date learned: 06-21-1973

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