Category Archives: Magic

Ritual actions engaged in to effect changes in the outside world.

Yellow = Good Luck

Age – 20
Language – English
Nationality- American
Occupation – Student
Primary Language – English
Residence – Long Island, New York

Text: “I always wear yellow when I feel like I need good luck. I have a specific yellow shirt that I wear to bed the night before something important. It’s not just the one shirt though. I have backups of other yellow shirts that I also consider lucky. I’ve been doing this for a while now, and it makes me feel more confident when I’m faced with something stressful.”

Context: The informant shares a superstition about wearing yellow for good luck. They have a specific yellow t-shirt they wear to bed before important events, like exams or job interviews, believing it will bring them good luck. They also have other yellow shirts that they consider lucky. This has become a regular habit, helping the informant feel more reassured before challenging situations.

Analysis: This superstition is a way for the informant to feel in control when facing something important. Wearing the yellow shirt gives them comfort and boosts their confidence, like a ritual that makes everything feel less overwhelming. It’s interesting that they have more than one yellow shirt like having a backup plan in case the main shirt isn’t available. It shows people use small things to feel luckier or more prepared for stressful situations.

Evil Eye

Age – 20
Language – English
Nationality – American
Occupation – Student
Primary Language – English
Residence – Virginia

Text: “I light my evil eye candle whenever I study for a big exam or do interview prep for an internship. It helps ward off bad luck. I don’t know if it really has any power, but it helps me focus and feel like I’m protecting myself from bad luck or negative energy. It gives me extra confidence and a better mindset when I’m going into something stressful or challenging.”

Context: The informant uses a candle with the evil eye symbol as part of a personal ritual before stressful situations, specifically academic or work related. They light it while studying or preparing for interviews. The evil eye is a known symbol of protection in many cultures, and the informant associates it with keeping away bad luck or negative energy.

Analysis: This is an example of folk belief being shown in someone’s personal life through habit. The evil eye symbol comes from cultural traditions about protecting against harm, and in this scenario it’s a reassuring study habit. The informant lighting the candle is done for self-care, giving the informant a sense of control over uncertain situations. It reflects how cultural symbols hold meaning, even when used in personal settings.

Splitting the Pole

Age – 20
Language – English
Nationality – American
Occupation – Student
Primary Language – English
Residence – Syracuse, New York

Text: “My friend introduced me to a superstition about splitting the pole. It basically says if you two are walking together and you come to a pole and walk on different sides of it, you jinx your relationship and will have bad luck in it going forward. He taught me it last year and for a while after I followed it pretty strongly because he was so into it that I started to be, but I’ve cared less and less about it the longer it’s been.”

Context: The informant learned this superstition from a close friend who strongly believed in it. It became something they followed for a while because of the friend’s influence. The belief is that splitting a pole while walking with someone brings bad luck to your relationship. The informant said they first followed it closely, but stopped putting value on it as time went on.

Analysis: This is an example of a folk belief passed on through personal connection. The idea of “splitting the pole” reflects a break in unity, which is why it’s said to bring bad luck to relationships. These kinds of superstitions often act as small rituals people follow to feel more in control of the luck in their life. The fact that the belief faded over time shows how folklore can lose power when it’s not actively being practiced or reminded.

Green Toilet Water & Leprechaun Traps: A St. Patrick’s Day Home Ritual

Text
Every St. Patrick’s Day, my informant’s family embraced a quirky tradition that transformed their house into a playful leprechaun hideout. When he was a child, he would wake up to find all the toilet water in the house dyed bright green. Sometimes the milk in the fridge was green too. The explanation? “The leprechauns must have peed in the toilet!” his parents told him, turning what might seem odd or gross into a magical sign of leprechaun mischief.

Beyond the household pranks, his school also took part in the fun. In elementary school, he and his classmates were encouraged to build “leprechaun traps,” small craft projects designed to catch the elusive creatures and, hopefully, earn a share of their gold. He remembers one trap in particular: “I painted it green, gave it a rainbow, and included a miniature pot of gold filled with plastic coins.” The traps were never successful–leprechauns, after all, are notoriously tricky–but they added to the sense of enchantment that surrounded the holiday each year.

Context
My informant recalled these traditions as part of his early childhood, especially between the ages of 5 and 9. He explained that the green toilet water and milk were surprises that would appear the morning of March 17th–small, imaginative gestures from his parents meant to keep the magic of the holiday alive. Though the tradition wasn’t linked to any religious or cultural identity in his household, it functioned as an annual burst of fun, one that made St. Patrick’s Day feel special even without a major family gathering or party.

At school, the leprechaun traps were an institutionalized form of holiday play, guided by teachers who framed it as a creative art activity. While the traps themselves were never functional, the idea that something magical might have visited the classroom overnight added an element of suspense and wonder. Though my informant no longer celebrates the holiday in the same way, these memories stood out as defining childhood moments–both silly and strangely memorable.

Analysis
This home custom illustrates how American families often adapt holidays like St. Patrick’s Day into playful, child-centered rituals that rely heavily on imagination, mischief, and material transformation. Though St. Patrick’s Day is originally rooted in Irish Catholic tradition, its contemporary celebration in the U.S.–particularly among non-Irish families–often takes the form of secular, creative play.

The dyed toilet water and milk represent a kind of “domesticated folklore,” where parents intentionally alter everyday environments to encourage a suspension of disbelief. The joke that “leprechauns have green pee” serves both as an explanation and a storytelling device, keeping the legend alive in absurd, humorous form. This aligns with broader traditions of holiday trickery, such as the Tooth Fairy leaving glitter or Santa eating cookies–actions that bridge folklore with parental performance.

The leprechaun traps, meanwhile, connect to a form of children’s ritualized play that blends belief with craft. These projects teach children to imagine, to hope for magical outcomes, and to participate in a shared cultural game–even if they know the payoff is imaginary. In this way, the practice reinforces values like creativity, humor, and seasonal anticipation, all while fostering a sense of community through parallel rituals at home and school.

Ultimately, this custom demonstrates that even informal, low-stakes traditions can hold deep folkloric meaning. They reflect how modern families re-enchant the everyday, turning plumbing and plastic coins into touchpoints for wonder, bonding, and shared memory.

Día de Los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day)

Transcript of Interview with my Informant:

Each year on January 6th, my family celebrates Día de Los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day, a tradition with roots in Catholic faith and Hispanic culture. The story goes that Melchor, Gaspar, and Balthasar–guided by the star of Bethlehem–brought gifts to the newborn Jesus. In honor of this event, our family gathers at someone’s home (sometimes mine) and shares a special sweet bread called Rosca de Reyes. The bread is circular, topped with colorful dried fruit, and contains hidden figurines of baby Jesus inside.

During the celebration, each family cuts a slice of the Rosca. If someone finds a figurine inside their piece, they’re “chosen” to host a gathering later in the year–symbolizing both a blessing and a responsibility. It’s a mix of excitement and groaning laughter when someone finds one; some are honored, others jokingly curse their luck.

On the night before, January 5th, children place a shoe near the door or under the Christmas tree, awaiting small gifts from the Three Kings by morning–just as kids do with Santa Claus on Christmas. While we’ve adapted parts of the tradition for our life in the U.S., the essence remains: a celebration of faith, family, and culture that marks both the joy of giving and the hope of a new year.

Context:

My informant first became aware of the significance of Día de Los Reyes Magos as a child, but admitted they didn’t initially recognize it as a distinct or formal “tradition.” Growing up in a Hispanic family in the U.S., the celebration felt like an extension of everyday life–something “normal,” even if classmates or neighbors didn’t understand it. The ritual of gathering around the Rosca and the playful suspense of finding the baby Jesus figurine stood out as moments of connection and community.

Celebrations would rotate between family members’ homes, often becoming larger events when someone “won” the figurine. These gatherings served not just as cultural practice, but also as a form of reunion–bringing relatives together after the holidays for one more festive moment. The act of putting out a shoe for gifts was a quiet, joyful echo of Christmas traditions, but with its own spiritual undertone tied to the biblical Magi.

The informant noted that these rituals, though modest in scale compared to holidays like Christmas, carry a different kind of emotional weight. They blend the sacred with the familial, and even the humorous–like the yearly joking dread of having to host the next party. Though they didn’t see their upbringing as “filled with traditions” at first, reflecting on this holiday made them realize how layered and meaningful these recurring events are.

Analysis:

The Día de Los Reyes Magos tradition functions as a cultural bridge, connecting the informant’s Hispanic heritage with their life in the United States. Like many diasporic traditions, it has been adapted to new social contexts–reshaped by work schedules, school calendars, and community life–yet remains firmly rooted in Catholic ritual and familial bonds.

The act of sharing the Rosca de Reyes and discovering the baby figurine exemplifies how folklore can use food as both a symbolic and functional tool. The bread becomes more than a treat–it’s a ritual object, one that assigns roles (the future host), invites storytelling, and reinforces familial obligations through humor and fate. In this way, the tradition embodies both luck and labor: blessings that come with responsibilities, just as faith comes with commitment.

Furthermore, the informant’s reflection illustrates the invisible ubiquity of folk practices–how traditions can be so woven into daily life that their significance is only recognized when viewed from outside or upon reflection. The use of shoes to receive gifts also echoes other folk traditions (like Dutch Sinterklaas or Saint Nicholas Day), showing the shared human impulse to mythologize generosity and moral reward during midwinter festivals.

Ultimately, this tradition is not just about religious observance. It is about identity–how faith, food, family, and folklore sustain cultural memory and offer moments of grounding and joy in the midst of American life. It’s a celebration not just of the Three Kings, but of the endurance of heritage in a changing world.