It's Probably a Folk Thing

Aaron L. Crawford

Society & Culture

Education

The podcast about everyday stuff that turns out to be older, weirder, and way more meaningful than we realized.

Last refreshed: August 18th, 2025 at 3:44 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

Birthday Cake, Moon Magic, and Flaming Wishes

Why do we put fire on cake, make a wish, and then blow lung air all over dessert? From moon goddesses to magical forcefields to Betty Crocker, birthday cake has a surprisingly weird backstory. And yes: it’s definitely a folk thing. Music Credits Intro music: Humorous and Comic Intro By Free Music — soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Available at: chosic.com/download-audio/27133/ Music promoted by Chosic...

Aug 13, 2025•5 min•Ep. 8

Rituals of the Rind

There you are, standing in the grocery store, surrounded by bins of green watermelons. You knock. You thump. You lift one like it’s a newborn and whisper, “Are you the chosen one?” Someone next to you is doing the same thing. You make eye contact. It’s a silent competition. It’s a public act of fruit-based divination. It’s probably a folk thing. Music Credits Intro music: Humorous and Comic Intro By Free Music — soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported...

Jul 17, 2025•6 min•Ep. 7

America the Boom-tiful

Why do we celebrate the birth of the United States by blowing up a bunch of pretty stuff in the sky? In this episode, we look at how fireworks became our go-to celebratory technique. America: It's a Boom-tiful county. Music Credits Intro music: Humorous and Comic Intro By Free Music — soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Available at: chosic.com/download-audio/27133/ Music promoted by Chosic...

Jul 04, 2025•5 min•Ep. 6

From Handshake to Hashtag to Holiday

Ever wonder how an annual backyard barbecue turns into a three-day weekend? In this episode, we trace the journey of holidays from folk traditions to federal recognition. With Thanksgiving and Juneteenth as our examples, we explore how people-powered celebrations rise through the ranks — from folk , to popular , to elite culture — ultimately becoming national events. Most holidays evolve from backyard handshakes , to celebrity hashtags , to federally-recognized holidays . Music Credits Intro mus...

Jun 19, 2025•6 min•Ep. 5

The Forecast Calls for Thunder Dad

Did your dad rule the thermostat like an ancient deity? He might be playing out the archetypical sky father motif from folklore. This episode tackles the father of all tropes - the complicated dad. From sky gods to galaxy-ruining disappointments, we explore why folklore keeps handing out thunderbolts and daddy issues in equal measure. Music Credits Intro music: Humorous and Comic Intro By Free Music — soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported creativeco...

Jun 12, 2025•5 min•Ep. 4

The United Steaks of America

Why does every summer holiday smell like meat on a grill? In this episode, we dive into the smoky, sacred world of the American backyard barbecue. From ritual timing to flame-cooked symbolism, we explore how grilling became one of the most widespread (and delicious) forms of modern American folklore. Also: dads, tongs, and the eternal gas vs. charcoal debate. It’s definitely a folk thing. Music Credits Intro music: Humorous and Comic Intro By Free Music — soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic Licensed und...

May 26, 2025•6 min•Ep. 3

School Spirit, Urban Legend Style

Why do the Roy High Royals wear black and gold, and why is the Box Elder Bee purple? According to local legend, it all started with a uniform mix-up no one bothered to fix. But is that really what happened? In this episode of It’s Probably a Folk Thing , we dig into the colorful tale of mistaken school spirit, ask whether it could be true (spoiler: no), and explore what the story actually reveals about how communities build identity, pride, and a sense of belonging—one purple bee at a time. Musi...

May 20, 2025•5 min•Ep. 2

Knock on Wood

In this episode, host Aaron Crawford explores the curious and oddly universal ritual of knocking on wood after saying something optimistic—just in case. Although many believe it's an ancient practice with mystical origins, folklore research shows that its roots are surprisingly recent and mundane. Crawford breaks the episode into four segments: The Weird Thing We All Do – Everyone knocks on wood, even skeptics. It's a reflex tied to a fear of "jinxing" good fortune. Where Did This Come From? – D...

May 14, 2025•5 min•Ep. 1

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