Monthly Archives: May 2011

German Pickle Ornament Game

Nationality: Caucasian American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student, USC
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 1995
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Timothy remembers a folk holiday tradition taught to him when he was growing up in Orange County, California. Although Timothy says he believes the tradition has been going on for awhile in his family, before he was even born, but his first memory of this tradition was when he was about 5 years old. He recalls, “My mom has a superstition – or, my family does. I guess it’s a German tradition, that ‘Santa’ hides an ornament shaped like a pickle in the tree. Every morning after Christmas when [Santa] hides it, whoever finds it gets an extra present. I learned it from my Mom’s side of the family. I have no idea why it’s a pickle. You can look it up online.”

Well, in fact, I did. It turns out the glass pickle ornament is traditionally hidden deep in the tree so the most observant child will find it, giving him good luck for the rest of the year. A trend I’ve noticed is that many people of my generation tend to participate in folklore without understanding why they are doing so. For Timothy, the point of the whole game was to get an extra present, not good luck. And while he didn’t even know why it was a pickle that was hidden, he did know it was German – and therefore part of his culture.

When I asked him what he thinks of the tradition, he said, “When I was a kid I loved it but now I get beat out every morning by my nieces and nephews. And [the gift is] usually something pretty small like candy and I don’t really eat candy anymore.” I think that the fact that Timothy never really understood the roots of the tradition helped him to distance himself from it now that he’s older. Also, perhaps learning that Santa wasn’t real as he grew older helped him to distance himself from Christmas games for the young.

Annotated: This tradition is also seen documented in About.com

“german myth 11 – the german christmas pickle.” about.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr 2011. <http://german.about.com/library/blgermyth11.htm>.

Folk Object

Nationality: French American
Age: 24
Occupation: Artist
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 1993
Primary Language: English
Language: French

Theo recalls a folk religious object that has been kept in his house since before he was born in 1986 in New York City, NY.  The object was his father’s, who told him the story behind it once Theo had attempted to touch and move it. He says, “My dad had a little bronze tablet. Given to him apparently by the emperor of Japan, as a gift for restoring a painting for their national museum, or something. And he would get super pissed if anyone touched it or moved it. It was really bad luck, he used to say. The emperor was a demi-god and stuff. It was a blessed tablet.”

While it might not seem out of the ordinary for a man of faith to protect a religious item so fiercely, Theo’s father is not one of those men.  When I asked Theo what he thought about his father placing such a strong emphasis on the sacredness of a blessed object, he said, “My dad’s atheist, you know? I thought it was weird that he would talk about this guy, after only meeting him once; sure he was on a higher level than other humans. That he was truly royal, or something.” I have to agree with his interpretation. I wouldn’t expect a man who is atheist – not agnostic – to give any religious value to any item. The fact that Mr. Goldrach would continue to value and protect this item seems inexplicable, perhaps representative of a deeper belief in a higher power than he is willing to admit.

French Proverb

Nationality: French American
Age: 24
Occupation: Artist
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 1992
Primary Language: English
Language: French

“Qui vole un oeuf vole un boeuf”

“Who steals an egg steals an ox”

“He who steals an egg, steals a cow”

Theo remembers learning this proverb from his French father when he was about 5 or 6, growing up in New York City, New York. Of the context in which he would hear this, he says, “When I would steal, or get caught [stealing], or when discussing stealing, my dad would always say that to me.”

In other words, Theo says he believes it to mean, “Don’t ever trust a thief. Once a thief, always a thief. Those who steal small things will go on to steal more. A thief always starts small, you know? You don’t wake up and immediately rob a bank. You stole an egg when you were a kid, you know? You were hungry for something.”

Theo believes this proverb contains words of wisdom. He says, “Every culture has a little saying about not stealing.  But this one’s sort of different because it says it’s in his nature. It’s sort of a harsher outlook on thievery.” I strongly agree with Theo’s interpretation of the proverb. More specifically, I believe that this proverb cautions us to look for any small signs of untrustworthiness early, so we might prevent a betrayal later.

French Bread Superstition

Nationality: French American
Age: 24
Occupation: Artist
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: 1998
Primary Language: English
Language: French

Theo says he learned this piece of folklore from his father, who moved from France to America in his twenties, carrying with him a heavy sense of French culture that he instilled in his children. Theo was about nine years old when he first heard this superstition, growing up in New York City, New York.

Theo says, “My dad is French, and apparently if you put a loaf bread upside down, it’s bad luck. I don’t know why this is, it’s just an old piece of weirdness. I put the bread upside down once, and my dad yelled at me. He didn’t, like, yell, but he definitely corrected me. And there’s no fixing [the bad luck] after you’ve done it. You’ve just got to not do it.” Theo says this is performed usually in the context of a kitchen or dining table, although he believes it might also apply in a bakery.

When I asked Theo what he thought about this superstition, he said, “I like it. I like, you know, old stuff that’s passed down. Even if it makes no sense.” Theo very strongly identifies with his French heritage, so I can see why and how he would like this superstition, even if he wasn’t sure why he’s doing it.

Annotated: This superstition can also be found documented on Agathoune.com, a website promoting French and American friendship and understanding.

“Debunking the Baguette.” Agathoune. N.p., 19/MAR/2009. Web. 27 Apr 2011. <http://www.agathoune.com/?p=361>.

Craigslist Prank

Nationality: Chinese American
Age: 23
Occupation: Financial Analyst
Residence: West Covina, CA
Performance Date: 2009
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin Chinese

Michael Lu performed a prank with his friends in college at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, when he was about 21 years old. Michael says that he and his friends would use this prank if they were miffed with a friend, but not entirely angry.

They got the idea for the prank from another prank that they had learned, where they would post a picture of their heterosexual friend on Craiglist, under the personal ads. Michael says, “[The idea] stemmed from posting personal ads on each other on Craigslist. Like we’d post other people’s pictures, like, ‘Gay, looking for a good time.’ And usually they’d get a call or two.”

The idea of a friend being badgered with unwanted phone calls from enthusiastic Craigslist hopefuls evolved into a new prank , sure to elicit more phone calls. Michael recalls, “We would go on Craigslist, and we would post an ad for a free TV for the first caller to my friend’s phone number, at 3 AM. Like seven people would instantaneously call. It was hilarious because it’d be like 3:30 AM and his phone is ringing off the hook. We also did it with Coachella tickets, like free Coachella tickets. [laughs]”

Michael thinks these jokes are harmless fun, and I have to agree. The introduction and widespread use of Caller ID ended most of the fun of prank calls, but kids are inventive, and it seems we’re in the age of Prank Calling 2.0. In addition, the Craigslist Prank, which often involves an unsuspecting victim and unsolicited calls has many variations and might be considered a genre of prank in the new digital age of folklore.

Annotation: This prank can also be seen documented in TheSmokingLoon.com, in a document about a woman who was faced with felony charges after a very similar prank.

“Felony Charges for a Craiglist Prank.” The Smoking Loon. N.p., 09/Mar/2009. Web. 27 Apr 2011. <http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/felony-charge-craigslist-prank>.