"Back from another fun potluck. Apparently potlucks are back in fashion and very popular these days. Been to at least 4 in last 3 months!"
The word pot-luck appears in 16th century England, in the work of Thomas Nashe, and was there used to mean "food provided for an unexpected or uninvited guest, the luck of the pot". The sense "communal meal, where guests bring their own food", appears to have originated in the late 19th century or early 20th century US, particularly in the Western United States, either by influence from potlatch or possibly by extension of traditional sense of "luck of the pot." Other variations include "covered dish supper" and "bring a plate."
Potluck dinners are often organized by religious or community groups, since they simplify the meal planning and distribute the costs among the participants. Smaller, more informal get-togethers with distributed food preparation may also be called potlucks. The only traditional rule is that each dish be large enough to be shared among a good portion (but not necessarily all) of the anticipated guests. In some cases each participant agrees ahead of time to bring a single course, and the result is a multi-course meal. Guests may bring in any form of food, ranging from the main course to desserts. In the United States, potlucks are associated with crockpot dishes, casseroles and jello salads.
If any of you have ever read the book Stone Soup as a kid, it also illustrates the notion of a communal or collective meal. What is most interesting about this arrangement is that in the past 2 years, during the "Great Recession" as the media has dubbed it, we are seeing more groups outside of houses of worship engaging in potluck dinners, and in many ways, it's also helped build in a stronger sense of community, as well as help families save money on food. While the US and Canada aren't exactly socialist economies, one could argue this is a form of communal behaviour not exactly unlike socialism. However, I see it more like the actions of the Amish and the Hutterites--people who share a common community also sharing their food.
I know that in my extended family, potlucks aren't uncommon at all--especially at funerals and weddings. Often times rather than catering, each family would bring a dish or two to such an event and it would help make things easier on those in mourning or getting married. Despite the many hardships that the Great Recession has wrought on US and Canadian society, this type of building of community in houses of worship as well as in secular groups of people is a social good, as well as an economic service we can provide eachother.
