Tag Archives: generational tradition

Lifting your feet over the drawbridge

Interviewer: “Ever since I could remember, whenever we drove over a drawbridge, you always told my brother and me to lift our feet over a drawbridge. Could you please explain why?”

D: “It’s always been that way. My dad had told me my whole life as well; it was just a thing, you cross over a drawbridge, so you lift your feet. I had to pass it on to my family as well.”

Interviewer: “Do you have any idea what it means, why you do it?”

D: “It’s for luck, not necessarily luck for your day, but more so luck for your future drives. You don’t want your feet touching the car floor when you feel the bumpy road from the texture of the bridge. Even I lift my feet up. Sure, I’ll have a little bit on the gas pedal, but otherwise I’m lifting my feet until the road is flat again.”

Context: Ever since I was a little kid I remeber driving with my dad. Anytime we would pass over a draw bridge, you had to lift your feet up. No matter how long or short the bumps of the bridge lasted. He would start with a warning by saying “ok get ready to lift your feet up!” and then when we hit the bridge said “Go!” and everyone in the car would lift both their feet off of the ground. Sometimes it would be difficukt to hold them up for a while – as an impatient child, but it would be over soon enough, and no way was anyone letting their feet touch the car floor. As soon as the car left the brdige he would say “good” and everyone would put their feet back down immediatly. I am unsure where this supersition came from, but from the interview I gathered my dad had done it his own life and took it on from his dad. My grandpa would say it to all of his 9 kids whenever passing over a draw bridge. This would take place most often from the drives from upstate NY to NYC, but happened anytime there was a drawbridge.

Analysis: This tradition is a form of family folklore that uses superstition and ritual to create a shared sense of meaning during an otherwise ordinary activity. The act of lifting feet over a drawbridge, framed as bringing “luck” for future drives, reflects how belief does not need a clear origin or logic to feel important. This supersition not only prvoides luck for the rest of the drive and future drives, but acts as a shared identity within the family.

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.

A Cautionary Tale of Garlic and Onion

Nationality: American
Age: 32
Occupation: Unemployed
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Language: English

Text:
“Ever since I was little, my mom would always tell me the story of a bride who ate garlic the night before her wedding and ended up fainting at the altar. Both my brother and I were taught growing up not to eat super fragrant, pungent things on sacred days such as weddings or funerals, as you want to be sweet—in both scent and spirit. Thus, on the day of my wedding and the birth of my children, I did not eat garlic or onion. Also, when I was expecting my girls, I did not eat it either.”

Context:
This legend was shared by the informant, P, during a conversation about traditional Indian practices. P explained that the belief was passed down to her by her mother, who told her the cautionary legend of a bride passing out at the altar as a result of eating garlic the night before. This story taught P that pungent foods should be avoided on sacred days. She clearly deeply values this legend, as it guided her behavior during her wedding and the birth of her children.

Analysis:
This is a legend because it is telling a cautionary story that is believed to be true and is passed down to reinforce a specific cultural belief. The dramatic story of the bride fainting at the altar helps justify the belief that eating pungent foods on important days can cause bad luck. This legend highlights the Indian cultural value placed on purity and spiritual cleanliness during sacred days such as weddings or funerals. This practice, continuing through generations, highlights how legends can shape our everyday practices—especially during periods of transition.