Category Archives: Customs

Customs, conventions, and traditions of a group

Throwing coins in car

Context: the informant, AC, describes a tradition where you throw coins inside of a new car.

“When you first get a new car, you’re suppose to take a bunch of coins and like throw it in the backseat so that it gives you good luck when you’re like driving so you don’t, its usually like parents or friends.”

Q: How did you first hear about?

“It was when I first got my car and my dad just came running out of the house and he had a bunch of coins and he just threw them in the back…I had never heard of it before. I was like ‘dad, what is happening?’ and he was like ‘Oh I don’t know its just good luck so you don’t crash.’ It like came from back then you had to put coins into tolls and so in this way people give you coins so you don’t run out of money when you have to pay a toll.”

Analysis: Throwing coins in a car seems to be a tradition done by many after someone purchases their own car. People close to the person, such as family or friends, begin to throw coins in the back of a car in order for the person to be protected from any car crashes. The ritual originated from when people had to pay tolls with coins. In this way, throwing money in the back of the car not only ensures your safety and protection, but makes sure that you have enough money with you whenever you need to pay a toll.

Stan Character Edit Posts

Context: The informant, MV, explains the Phenomenon of online videos depicting characters from different pieces of media in “stan edit posts” that show their admiration for said character.

MV: “Online, there’s a bunch of different videos that basically consist of putting different pictures of a character and adding different transitions in between which makes it an edit. Basically a bunch of different fandoms make stan edits of their favorite characters in said fandom and post it online for others to see. They usually add really popular music to help the edit gain more attraction. I think they first started on twitter where people were making edits of different Kpop idols since stan culture is super popular in that fandom but I think that’s a different topic. They’re pretty much everywhere on social media like if u opened Insta [Instagram] right now, you’d probably find one within like a few scrolls. I honestly wish I could edit like some people can I think it’s a really great way to show your devotion to a specific character. “

Analysis: “stan character” edit videos have become a popular style of short videos through social media, mainly seen on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. These short usually consist of rapid transitions between clips and high uses of effects. The edits are usually accompanied by pop music, usually music that’s recognizable enough to be seen by others. The edits of characters are created in order to show admiration towards the character and express appreciation towards the specific media being depicted. These edits first originated online on the platform Twitter/X, where users online made different edits/compilations of different Kpop idols. This type of editing style has since then dispersed onto other forms of media such as for characters in pop culture such as in TV Shows or video games.

Rosca de Reyes/Wreath of the Kings

Context: The Rosca de Reyes/Wreath of the Kings is a sweet bread commonly made/consumed during January 6th, the Day of the Three Kings

“Every year on January 6th, many who are Catholic celebrate the Day of the Three Kings following Christmas. Because of this, we have a yearly tradition where we eat la Rosca de Reyes (Wreath of the Kings), in which it is a sweet bread that’s super good. You usually eat it with either hot chocolate or champurrado. However, the tradition also comes with a fun game. Inside of the bread are a few little white babies that represent Jesus when he was born. If your slice of bread happens to have a little baby Jesus, you usually have to make tamales the month afterwards. I don’t know if it’s the same for everyone though, I think some people make different foods.”

Analysis: La Rosca de Reyes seems to be a common tradition in many Mexican-Catholic Communities where many continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus after Christmas. The Biblical story of the Three Kings explains how the Three Wise Men traveled to see the birth of Jesus in order to deliver him gifts. Because of this, many celebrate this day with different foods, one of the foods being The Wreath of the Kings.

Novena/Novenario

Context:

“So a tradition in Mexican Catholic families is when someone passes away there’s something called a novena or novenario. And this occurs right after someone is laid to rest. Family and friends gathers at a home [a relative’s] and will pray. They’ll use the rosary and say prayers. I don’t really remember which prayers are used or if it’s specific only to Mexican catholic families.”

Q: Did you or anyone in your family ever participate in this tradition?

“I think I only ever participated in it once. It was when one of my [aunts] died and we went to her home and stayed the entire night. I don’t really remember what happened though since it was a long time ago.”

Q: Have you ever partook in the tradition in recent time?

“No, not in recent time…I actually don’t know if people still do this tradition actually. I know my mom’s side of the family was super religious and would do this.”

Analysis: As the informant, NG, describes, a Novena/Novenario is a common tradition in Mexican-Catholic communities in which after the death of a family remember, the rest of the friends and family will travel to the person’s home (or a relative’s) and begin to pray for the deceased. Based off the information NG describes, a Novena/Novenario is done in order to pay respects to the recently deceased and to hope that they are well in another life.

Thanksgiving Treasure Hunt

Text: “The Thanksgiving treasure hunt has to be my absolute favorite tradition out of any holiday. My dad did it for me when I was growing up, and now I pass it on to my kids. My sister, however, does not do it for her kids, so I’m glad I can keep the tradition alive that my dad started. Every Thanksgiving, I get silly gifts for everyone. For example, for my husband, when he had a super old falling apart car, I gave him a toy of the mator tow truck from cars, or the falling year gave him a pair of reader glasses after noticing his eyes were getting old. So, silly gifts like that. I would hide them around the house and write poems with clues to lead people to their treasure. After dinner, we would start with the youngest in the room and work our way up to the oldest. They would open the paper in front of them, read the clue, go get their gift, and come back to the table to open it, and then the next person would go. I even include extra people of we have an aunt or cousin over that year rather than our main immediate family. It’s a lot of fun, and I keep the poems from every year.”

Context: This is a generational tradition that brings a new, fun activity for the holiday. It gives people time to digest in the period between dinner and dessert. The gifts are usually fun little jokes to poke fun at and are enjoyed, bringing laughs to the whole crowd. The clues are written in a poem written by the mom who hides all of the gifts around.

Analysis: This tradition shows how one person can take something simple and turn it into a really meaningful family ritual over time. The Thanksgiving treasure hunt isn’t just about giving gifts; it’s about the experience of finding them, especially with the poems and clues that make it feel more personal and creative. The fact that it was passed down from a dad and is now being continued for the next generation shows how traditions can stay alive even if not everyone in the family keeps them going. The silly gifts also make it more fun and less serious, turning it into a moment of laughter and connection rather than just another holiday activity. Starting with the youngest and including whoever is there helps everyone feel involved, which makes it more memorable for the whole group.