Submitter comment: THIS ABBREVIATION MEANS "BRING YOUR OWN", THIS IS USUALLY PUT ON
INVITATIONS TO PARTIES, SYMBOLIZING THAT YOU BRING YOUR OWN LIQUOR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PARTY

Subject headings:

SPEECH -- Formula

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Entry filtered.

An Unpleasant Surprise

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

There was a young engaged couple from a small town who had come home from a date one night. Nobody was home and the house was dark. On the table there was a note for the girl which said to close the basement windows. Seeing that noone was around, the young couple stripped down naked. The girl got on the boy's shoulders piggy-back and they started down the stairs. As they reached the last step all the lights went on - it was surprise bridal shower for the girl!

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original Boggs number [B600] has been crossed out and replaced with B646

Where learned: DURING A VISIT

Keyword(s): ALLUSION TO SEXUAL INTERCOURSE ; Engagement ; HUMOR ; JOKES ; MARRIAGE ; Modesty ; Moral ; PARTY ; Prank ; SEX ; SURPRISE ; YOUTH

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Romantic Realistic
Filter - Mature Content

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Custom/Belief

Irregular Festival:

It is a custom in my family to have a big family gathering, celebration, reunion, and party whenever someone in the fammily has made the Sacrament of Confirmation or 1st Communion. The recipient recieves gifts and/or money from every other member of the fmaily. It roughlyparallels the Bar Matzvah of the Jewish Religion.

Data entry tech comment:

motifs added by TRD

Where learned: NEW YORK ; Myself ; LeRoy

Keyword(s): Celebration ; CUSTOM ; Maturity ; PARTY ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Rite-of-Passage

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Maturity

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Custom

Lenten Customs:

About two weeks before the Lenten fasting begins, the people of New Orleans celebrate the festival of "Mardi Gras."

Actually, "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday," and this is the day before Ash Wednesday. But the people celebrate for a couple weeks beforehand, much the same way as most people celebrate Christmas.

Mardi Gras is characterized by its magnificaent parades. Various groups spend enormous amounts of time, effort and money to make their floats as beautiful as possible. throughout the parade, people sit on the floats and throw trinkets, beads and other cheap toys to the crowds who clamor to see who can catch the most. Many of these articles are virtually worthless, but I have seen expensive beads, gold pieces and even $20.00 bills being thrown too.

Besides this, each parade has its own particular name (eg- the Rex Parade) and throws off "dubloons" with the name of the parade and that year stamped on it. A "dubloon" is a silver-dollar sized plastic coin, always in purple, gold or green. Long after Mardi Gras is over, people continue to trade dubloons-to try to get a dubloon of each color from each parade. This collection of worthless plastic coins can be quite valuable.

So the parades, dubloons, balls and parties make Mardi Gras the most festive time of the whole year in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

Keyword(s): Beads ; Celebration ; CUSTOM ; Float ; Mardi Gras ; New Orleans ; Parade ; PARTY ; Trinkets

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting

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Custom; Agriculture

Letter dated 1852 relates the events of a negro corn-shucking. Slaves invite their friends from neighboring plantations and they make a party out of shucking a tremendous amount of corn.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: Journal of American Folklore ; A Negros Corn Shucking

Keyword(s): CORN ; CUSTOM ; Gathering ; HARVEST ; NEGRO ; PARTY ; Plantation ; Shuck ; Slavery ; Slaves ; South

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Autumn Fall Harvest Thanksgiving

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