What is Family Folklore?

What is family folklore? Simply put, family folklore is anything that has to do with a family. It is concerned with the day to day living of a family. Furthermore, since most aspects of family folklore have some tenets of genealogy, each can be drawn upon to stimulate the other. Family folklore covers, but is not limited to, Dad's childhood journal of personal stories, Aunt Addie's quilts, Uncle John's marvelous carpentry work, mom's coveted recipes, Great-aunt Sallie's heirloom jewelry, and Cousin Josephine's family scrapbook and photo album.

Have mom's recipes been written down? No one likes to think of the death of a loved one, but death is not a respecter of persons or their recipes. Recipes need to be written down. Remember, recipes can be passed from generation to generation just like any family item. Old recipes often have marvelous tales attached to them, and can even be bound into a charming family cookbook. The Thirteen Colonies Cookbook, for example, has a collection of colonial family recipes, each with a delightful tale.

Great-aunt Sallie's heirloom jewelry should be documented with their stories attached to each piece. Perhaps one item was a gift from a Hungarian Gypsy Queen to Sallie's grandmother, for saving her life during World War II. These are important family stories. Death takes stories with it.

All families have stories, tall tales, favorite expressions and idioms unique to them. Some of these stories are passed down by word of mouth, others crudely written, while others may have been published. What story could be more important and cherished by children than how their parents met. And, everyone has a wedding story, no matter how simple. Family skeletons? If one digs deep enough, he will find one. Some family member should be responsible for gathering and preserving these wonderful tales.

How about Dad's journal? It may be filled to the brim with his childhood adventures, tall tales, personal ghost stories from his Boy Scout camping days, and true stories about various family members.

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