Simon J. Bronner

The premise is simple: step into a darkened room, stare into the mirror, and invoke a spirit.

Folklorist Simon J. Bronner documented this phenomenon extensively in his 1988 book, American Children's Folklore, characterizing what he called Mary Worth rituals as a widespread tradition among school-aged children that recreates the atmosphere of a seance.

Bronner described how participants typically huddle together in the dark, bound by a shared requirement to genuinely believe in the spirit for her to appear.

And now I am posing the question to Em: Have you ever done it? What's your experience with the Bloody Mary ritual? [laughs]

You know, a lot of people have asked very similar questions with what I do, and I have the very unfortunate answer.