Most of us have these little things we are able to do, that are a little different or special. Maybe it is something we mostly use in laid-back social situations, to break the ice and get a laugh. Beyond that, however, this talent does not do much for us. It is clearly not anything we would ever list on a resume. What might you call it?
Intended use:
Mike's family knew he was finally recovering from his injuries when he resumed his _______ of turning everything into a corny pun, which made his nurses laugh.
Another possible use:
Alice: (sticking out tongue and touching it to tip of nose) Tada!
Bob: Wow. Impressive.
Alice: Thanks, but I know that with this _______ and a dollar I can get a cup of coffee.
Candidates considered:
Hobby: On the contrary, your hobby can be of tremendous benefit to you. It is fun for you, releives your stress, and lets you have a sense of accomplishment. (reject)
Antic(s): For me, this has too much of a connotation that you only do the thing to create havoc or to tease another person. (near-miss)
Trick: In the absence of other options, this is what I might go with. However, this still doesn't quite sound right when I read it back. (debatable near-miss).
Despite this, feel free to propose any of these as answers if you can cite definitions and usage examples that refute my objections.
Final word: This is tagged with both single-word-requests and phrase-requests. All things being equal, a single word will win. However, where a short multi-word phrase tells the story better than one word, then so be it.
Best Answer
Perhaps an English term borrowed from Yiddish, schtick (or shtick, or shtik)
American Heritage Dictionary
The term is often applied to a comedian's signature style or routine.