The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Welcoming bags

An old custom used to light the path to your home for friends
and strangers was to place a candle in paper bags full of sand and
light them. This was not only a means of lighting the path, but a
symbol of welcome and friendship.

Submitter comment: During Chesaning's annual Christmas walk, during the week-end
following Thanksgiving, the entire town is lined with these paper
bags. The bags line the main street and entrances to the shops
from the beginning of town to the end of town. It's truly a sight
to behold!

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; shopkeeper ; Chesaning

James Callow Keyword(s): Luminaria

Date learned: 00001980S

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Angels in the Attic

There are collectible figurines designed and sold by a woman
named Sarah of Chesaning, Michigan. One of the series is called
"angels in the attic." I met Sarah and she told me how this series
started. She said that all of her figurines represent a part of
her life. The "angels" is a collection of her retired figurines
that she adds angels wings to. The reason they do not go to
heaven, rather to the attic is because as a child she had been very
ill, almost died. Her father, a pharmacist, and very religious was
gravely concerned about Sarah. All the medications were not
helping, so he decided that he would bring her an angel to look at
while she was in bed. Each day for several days he went out and
purchased another angel, until there was a large collection of
them. Sarah survived her illness and proudly displayed her angels
in her room, as they had made her well. When she married, she
brought them with her to her new home. When she had children, she
feared they would break her angels, so she wrapped them and stored
them in her attic, until her children were older. She often told
them, however, that their home had "angels in the attic" watching
over them.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Chesaning ; Sarahs Collectibles

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