Category Archives: general

Christmas Breakfast

“[This one] is even more specific to my family. For a number of years my family would make christmas breakfast together, each of us responsible for one specific part of the meal. My Dad loves breakfast meats so he’d find some nice bacon or breakfast sausage to make. My Mom adores home fries and so she’d always make sure we had some in the house over the holidays. My Sister LOVES cheese so she would always add a bunch to our scrambled eggs on Christmas. And I’ve always had the biggest sweet tooth of the four of us so I was in charge of baking the biscuits for whatever assortment of Jams or honey we had in the house.” 

Context

“I don’t know if other families tend to collaborate like this on Christmas, but I loved that we did so much. I’m not very religious but Christmas has always been synonymous with love and togetherness. And especially since my family does express love and care for each other through food in our own ways, eating that meal that represented all of us was really lovely. I’m glad we did that, even if it was only for a few years.”

Analysis

Speaking for myself, Christmas brunch was absolutely a tradition in my family. But unlike the informant, making breakfast was handled almost entirely by my parents. My brother and I would be too busy playing with our shiny new toys. But the informant’s family clearly has a different perception of the role Christmas breakfast plays in their own celebrations. Each family member contributes to the meal with their own taste, combining their palettes into a breakfast symbolic of their shared family bond.

Family traditions are microcosms of ritualistic folklore, small habits and activities that cement the bond between family members. What do these permutations of family rituals say about the families who practice them? From what I see, the informant’s version of the Christmas breakfast highlights their shared familial bond, and the many ways in which different people meld together to create a family unit. For them, the act of making the meal is a shared experience for the entire family, and a time for them to come together during the holidays.

The Legend of Bigfoot

Text: “So, I’ve definitely heard a lot about Bigfoot, mostly in places like Washington and Oregon, but also in California. Apparently, this huge, hairy creature just roams around the forests, and people have been talking about it for ages. It’s like this big, ape-like thing that’s supposedly always there, but no one ever really sees it. You hear stories about people finding giant footprints in the woods, or about hearing weird noises late at night, and they swear it’s Bigfoot, but there’s never any proof.

I actually went on this Bigfoot hiking tour once in Washington, hoping to see something, but of course, we didn’t. They showed us these footprint casts and told us some stories about people who claim they saw it. It’s kinda funny how people get so into it, but honestly, the mystery of it all is what makes it cool. Like, we didn’t see anything, but I still thought it was awesome to just walk through the woods, hearing these stories. I mean, it’s such a random thing to believe in, but it’s still fun to think about.”

Context: Growing up in the U.S., the informant was always aware of Bigfoot, especially through friends and stories they’d hear when talking about hiking or camping trips. It was something people joked about or brought up in passing, especially when out in the woods or forests. The informant didn’t grow up hearing personal stories or having any major connections to Bigfoot, but it was part of the overall cultural fabric—like something you’d hear about in TV shows or from people in areas like the Pacific Northwest. They got more curious about it after taking the Bigfoot tour, but ultimately, they don’t take it too seriously. It’s more of a fun legend, and something people like to talk about when they’re in the right setting.

Analysis: Bigfoot is one of those legends that sticks around, not because a majority of people truly believe in it, but because it’s fun to talk about. It’s a story that plays into the idea of the unknown, which is something people always seem to enjoy. Whether or not anyone actually thinks Bigfoot exists, it becomes part of the culture of the places where these stories are told—especially in areas like the Pacific Northwest, where there’s so much wild, untamed nature. Legends like this thrive because they add a layer of mystery to the world around us. It’s not necessarily about finding proof of Bigfoot, but more about having something to wonder about, something that sparks conversation and keeps a bit of the unknown alive. Even though it’s mostly just a fun story, it connects people to the land and to each other, whether it’s around a campfire or while hiking through the forest. And that’s what keeps it relevant—because as long as people keep telling these stories, they’ll keep Bigfoot alive, even if it’s just in spirit.

Informant Info

Race/Ethnicity: White

Age: 21

Occupation: Student

Residence: Oak Park, CA

Date of Performance: April 1, 2025

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Relationship: Friend

Mommy’s Magic Medicine

Text: “Growing up a little ritual we had when we were younger kids was that every time we got injured my mom would put Neosporin on our little cut or scrape and call it Mommy’s magic medicine. And so every single time I got hurt as a kid I remember my mom putting the Neosporin on my cut and at the time I didn’t know it was Neosporin, I always only knew it as Mommy’s magic medicine. And so I always felt relieved when that happened and it’s something that has resonated with me my whole life.”

Context: This story was shared by the informant, a law school student, who reflected on a childhood ritual involving minor injuries and the comforting presence of their mother. The informant recalls that whenever they got a cut or scrape, their mother would apply Neosporin while calling it “Mommy’s magic medicine.” At the time, the informant didn’t recognize it as a commercial product—they only understood it as something their mother used to make them feel better. This phrase, repeated over many years, became a deeply ingrained part of their childhood experience and remains a memorable, emotionally significant ritual that they continue to associate with safety, love, and maternal care.

Analysis: This is a great example of folk medicine in a family setting. Even though Neosporin is a store-bought product, the way the mom framed it as “Mommy’s magic medicine” gave it a kind of homemade, personal meaning. It wasn’t just about the ointment—it became a small ritual that the informant associated with healing and comfort. Calling it “magic” added a sense of wonder, and also helped make the pain feel less serious or scary.

This kind of thing is really common in folk medicine, where the emotional support is just as important as the treatment itself. Parents often use little sayings, routines, or made-up names to soothe their kids, and those moments become part of how children learn to handle pain or fear. In this case, the ritual shows how folk practices can exist right alongside modern medicine—what matters is the meaning attached to it. For the informant, that meaning stuck with them, even long after they found out what Neosporin actually was.

Informant Info

Race/Ethnicity: White

Age: 23

Occupation: Student

Residence: Oak Park, CA

Date of Performance: April 22, 2025

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Relationship: Brother

Folk Medicine for Cramps and Illness

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 24
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Folk Medicine:

My informant told me that she uses alcohol paper and the California Yerba Santa plant for discomfort and pain.

Context:

“Ever since I got my period the first time and cramps became a regular thing in my life, my mom passed down her homemade recipe that consists of placing an alcohol soaked paper in the belly button for as long as is needed, acting as a heating pad and Advil at once (it works). The plant that we use more within my family is Yerba Santa, a herb that serves for everything including fever, cramps, colds and headaches. A tea or even a paste can be made and usually one cup or a spoonful is enough.”

Analysis:

I had never heard of the Yerba Santa plant before my informant told me about her mom’s remedies, but when doing some further researcher I found that it is a great pain reliever. As we talked about in class, many times large pharmaceutical companies will use plants that cure ailments, pack them up into pill form, and sell them for profit. These home remedies, such as the alcohol soaked paper and the Yerba Santa plant, are great ways to get similar, in not the exact same, results as the name brand products. Relying on folk medicine instead of named brands helps you 1) save money and 2) not support brands who profit off of other cultures’ ideas and solutions without giving the people compensation.

Post Funeral Practices

Nationality: American
Age: 50
Occupation: Home renovator
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Text:

“After funerals, we always wash our hands with pomegranate leaves in a bowl before we can enter the house. Also, you cannot go straight home directly after a funeral, as it will bring bad luck. You always need to go somewhere else.”

Context:

My informant learned this from the older Chinese generation in his family. His mother would always remind him to do these rituals after attending a funeral.

Analysis:

Chinese culture has many superstitions regarding funerals, as demonstrated through these rituals. This practice of washing your hands before entering the house is related to apotropaic magic in that the symbolic action is intended to wash off any bad luck or ward off evil spirits. This falls under the category of contagious magic, the idea that things that were once in contact will influence each other even after the contact is broken. In the context of a funeral, individuals who have come into contact with impurities must wash it away to break the connection.