I saw this for the first time way back when I started teaching here. A student would walk into class with dollar bills pinned to his shirt. Huh??? Turns out it’s a birthday tradition. Maybe you start with a dollar or two pinned to your shirt and people give you more throughout the day. See the blonde woman in the blue shirt in the foreground? See the dollar bills? It’s her birthday. Does anyone else out there know of this tradition, or is it another New Orleanianism?
Oh, and also note Big Sam’s Funky Nation in the background. Big Sam himself in the shades and black shirt. I took this photo at Lafayette Square a couple of weeks ago – there’s free music there every Wednesday evening in the fall to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. We’ll be going this week for another Only in New Orleans attraction: Bonerama! Is there a band anywhere else in the country fronted by three trombone players?
Yep. Don’t think I can live anywhere else. I would miss the craziness and quirkiness too much. And it’s not even Halloween yet!
What a novel idea… I like that very much. I know that in many other traditions, you get showered with money for special occasions and birthdays but not pinned to your shirt. Love it!
Enjoy the music… lucky you!
It is cool, isn’t it?
What a fun tradition. People everywhere should unite and start a pin a dollar on the birthday girls/guys shirt tradition.
Yes! I agree!
I first heard of this tradition when I moved to Houston. It seems to be a Hispanic tradition as well. It is lots of fun to get money on your birthday, especially from total strangers!!!
Yes! I’ve never actually done it – this year I’ll be out of town on my birthday, so maybe another year!
I’ve heard of something similar at weddings, but I’d never heard of it for birthdays and from strangers. What a great tradition.
I have never seen that before. I like it. I wonder if I can get a similar tradition started way up here in northern Ohio?
I think you should go for it. Life is short!
I have seen that at weddings, but never during birthdays. What a cool idea!
Yay!
I like the idea, but here in Canada, we would have to use a 5 dollar bill, it is the smallest we get, the rest are coins… maybe we could tape a loonie to a shirt… or crazy glue… nah, just give me the 5′s
Ooh – yeah – take the 5s!
I have never heard of a dollar-bill-birthday tradition. But it sounds like a cool one!
I like it – another quirky New Orleans thing!
I just saw on facebook where a friend of mine was in new orleans for her birthday….& she got quite a few dollar bills from strangers. This is just a way cool idea….everyone loves birthday wishes & gifts….& coming from strangers makes it that much better!!
It is a very cool NOLA tradition!