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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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CHRISTMAS CUSTOM

THE GERMANS HANG A WREATH OUTSIDE THE DOOR AND HANG MISTLETOE
OVER THE DOOR ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE DURING THE CHRISTMAS
SEASON.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Mistletoe and other greenery

Date learned: 11-14-1968

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IRISH COFFEE

IT IS THE CUSTOM OF THE IRISH TO PUT A SHOT OF WHISKEY IN A CUP
OF COFFEE.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Non-alcoholic fruit beverage Coffee
Food Drink -- Non-alcoholic cereal beverage N444.4

Date learned: 11-22-1968

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A GERMAN MEAL

WITH KNOCKERS AND SAURKRAUT YOU ALWAYS HAVE KANIPTS-
(LIKE LITTLE DONUTS).

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL

Keyword(s): SAUERKRAUT

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Night mealsSupper

Date learned: 11-14-1968

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GERMAN CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS

GERMAN FAMILIES ALWAYS HAVE A REAL CHRISTMAS TREE WITH DIFFERENT
COLORED BULBS AND LIGHTS. THEY ALSO HAVE A CRIB SCENE AND VERY OFTEN
HANG THEIR CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS ON THE DOOR OR FIREPLACE OR SOME OTHER
APPROPRIATE PLACE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Christmas Decorations
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Manger scenes
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Christmas tree
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Stockings and shoes

Date learned: 10-03-1968

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Entry filtered.

Ethnic Joke: French

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

There was this couple engaged to be married. He was a Frenchman, while she was American. Her father gives her advice about her fiance: "Daughter, don't marry a frenchman!" But father, I love this man very much, I'm sure he will be fine. Her father repeats his warning: "Don't marry a Frenchman, because in six months, he'll ask you to "Change ends!" Don't worry father, everything will be ok. So, they got married.

What do you know, but six months later, while they are in bed, the Frenchman says "Honey, would you mind changing ends, just for tonight?" The girl gets a little angry and says "I should have listened to my father, he was right about you Frenchmen!" The frenchman replied, "But honey, Don't you want to have any children?"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Submission card was located in a pile marked To Be Classified.

Where learned: RENO HALL ; DORM ROOM

Keyword(s): ETHNIC JOKE ; FRENCH ; HOMOSEXUALITY ; Innuendo ; MARRIAGE ; REFERENCE TO SEXUAL INTERCOURSE ; SEXUAL EUPHEMISM ; Stereotype

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- C566

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Toast

An Irish Toast:

On St. Patrick's Day, the Irish drink to the snakes being driven out of Ireland.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DRINKING ; ETHNIC ; holiday ; Irish ; SNAKES ; Social ; St. Patrick ; TOAST

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech
SPEECH -- Formula

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NEW YEAR'S CUSTOM

THE POLISH WRITE THE NEW YEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR OF
THEIR HOUSE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Fixed DateFor specific dates, use the following system: F640.0101
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20
BELIEF -- Measure of time Year
BELIEF -- Number

Date learned: 11-14-1968

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CHRISTMAS DAY

IN POLISH FAMILIES BEFORE EVERYBODY STARTS EATING, THE HEAD OF
THE FAMILY PASSES BREAD AROUND TO EVERYBODY WHICH HAS BEEN BLESSED
BY THE PRIEST OF THEIR CHURCH.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL

Keyword(s): FOOD CUSTOM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Oplatki
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Church

Date learned: 11-14-1968

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OMEN

WHENEVER THERE IS A FULL MOON, THERE ARE MANY MORE CAR
ACCIDENTS.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT'S MOTHER WORKS IN THE CLAIMS DEPARTMENT AT A CAR RENTAL
AGENCY. EVERYTIME THERE IS A FULL MOON SHE TELLS ABOUT THE
KIND OF MOOD ONE OF HER FRIENDS AT THE
AGENCY WILL BE IN THE NEXT DAY;
"WELL, DORIS WILL BE COMPLAINING TOMORROW BECAUSE OF ALL THE
ACCIDENTS."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Moon
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 11-23-1968

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Graffiti

Don't change dicks in the middle of a screw, so vote for Nixon in 72.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Art Craft Architecture Art, Craft, Architecture

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Nursery Rhyme

Old Mother Hubbard,
Went to the cupboard,
To fetch her pet cobra a toad,
When she got there,
The cupboard was bare,
The old bat shoulda knowed.


 

Submitter comment:

Heard on radio WJW, Cleveland, Ohio, by the informant. It is reputedly an original by a disk jockey, Mad-Daddy (Alan Freed) and was well known by Cleveland teenagers in 1957.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse

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Graffiti

Memories of the past are like alcoholic liquors--the longer they age the better they get.

 

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT ; washroom

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Art Craft Architecture Art, Craft, Architecture

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Graffiti

Santa Claus runs a fly by night operation.

 

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT ; washroom

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Art Craft Architecture Art, Craft, Architecture

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WHEN PARENTS WANT TO MAKE THEIR SONS EAT VEGETABLES, THEY TELL THEM IT WILL PUT HAIR ON THEIR CHEST.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Upper body, arms, neck
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 11-22-1968

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BREAD BELIEF

EATING THE CRUST OF BREAD MAKES YOUR HAIR CURLY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Cereal
Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 11-22-1968

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