Just Where, Why, How Do Traditions Start or Begin?
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
December 17, 2008 2:28am CST
Guess I'm being reflective here about traditions in general...how, why, when, where do or did they start? That one has to do something a certain way, at a certain time? Why? I'm thinking about things in general here...but it can even relate to "family" traditions. How the heck and who started them?
Give you a for instance. In my family growing up, my great-grandmother was THE matriarch..and so many of her traditions, whether she started them or not were like iron-clad, written in blood and stone and couldn't be changed. One tradition was that for New Year's Day dinner one HAD to have ham for dinner as it signaled good luck for the coming year...like huh? Duh? And I have to admit...even though my great-grandmother is long gone, my grandmother's gone and so is my mother...I STILL will have a ham dinner for New Year's Day...not to, I somehow feel I would be jinxing myself and fate.....Yeah, yeah, I know sounds DUMB big time, and I'm not generally superstitious...uh, but like I don't want to risk tempting fate somehow. Most of us in this time of year are going to be celebrating Christmas, or Chanukah, Kwanzaa and I just bet YOUR family has certain must do, have traditions to make things "lucky" for lack of better words.
Now while some things I follow faithfully according to family traditions...I actually was a rebel and did things differently. For years and years, for Christmas dinner I would have a cream of potato soup appetizer, turkey dinner with stuffing, brussels sprouts in orange glaze sauce and so forth...I broke that tradition ---OMG---several years ago and opted to have my Beouf Bourgninon dinner (the same I have for my birthday celebration)..I just found it SO much easier and stress free to cook up then all that fussing with that Christmas turkey dinner I used to fix....the Beouf Bourgninon dinner while special just doesn't take as much time to prepare....ah, simplicity! Sometimes I've even opted for a nice Roast Beef dinner for Christmas..so yeah, the rebel here and broke tradition..uh, yet still hesitant of breaking that Ham dinner for New Year's
So just WHY do we observe traditions? Especially family ones? Are you hesitant to break them fearing bad luck? Or have you been bold and broken with traditions and maybe started your own?
Tell me of some of your family traditions that seem to be iron clad...or if you broke away from them
3 people like this
14 responses
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
17 Dec 08
I think that most traditions start with a need, or whim on somebody's part. The New Years ham tradition may have started with your great-grandfather receiving a ham for Christmas from his employer. The 1st time, Christmas dinner would already have been planned and in the works. The first opportunity to use the ham would have been New Years. We hold onto the traditions because of the memories they hold from holidays past.
When I was growing up in the 50's and early 60's, my dad would time his annual snow tire purchase to the release of the annual Christmas album at Firestone, where he bought them. Christmas eve was always reading Christmas stories outloud and listening to these albums. No doubt the inspiration on my parents part was to get my brother and I to go to sleep early...lol (didn't work though). As my parents are now gone, I have all of these albums. So Christmas eve, I play them at least for a while. It brings back wonderful memories.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
It's funny about traditions. for instance usually on St. Patrick's day it's now customary to have corned beef brisket...now in the "Old" days that was considered the cheapest meat to buy when many Irish came here to America during the mid-1800s....now it's a actually a fairly expensive cut of meat since it's more popular for St. Paddy's. Ever notice how certain foods get MORE expensive when they become more popular? Even fish. Years and years ago, seafood in general wasn't so expensive, then when people became more health conscious and it was found fish was healthier than red meats...bingo, up went the price
Wow..you still have record albums?? They're getting popular again I hear...LOL
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
Nope never attempted homemade corned beef..just might give it a try. Nope really don't care for lobster...maybe on principle gets me squeamish thinking how they are cooked
1 person likes this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
18 Dec 08
Have you ever made your own corned beef? It's pretty easy, and worlds better than the stuff you buy at St Patty's time of the year. Beef brisket is still a reasonably priced cut, especially when on sale. Soak it in a salt brine (use ice cream maker salt) for a week+, in the refrigerator. You can also add peppercorns and a bay leaf or two if you want. At the end of the brining time, simply rinse it well, then boil as you would a store-bought one.
Do you happen to like lobster? That used to be considered 'junk', and was used to cheaply feed prisoners and patients in mental hospitals.
Record albums: I keep reading that they're going to start producing them again...but haven't seen that yet. I'm a pack-rat lol. I still have a pile of 45's too, including one of the original Monster Mash 45's.
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
18 Dec 08
Most traditions goes back centuries.
Some are 2000 years old.
In those days... people had no education and their life were governed by religion and superstitions.
The few who had an education were in power and would propagate those superstitions in order to gain even more power over the people.
Anyone daring to speak against religion or ridicule a superstition was considered a witch and was burned at the stake.
The same principal is still used today by politicians during the federal election. If you repeat the same message every day... by election day... the people will believe you and vote for you. lol
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
20 Dec 08
You are right about Christianity... and that is what I meant... even so I was not very clear about it.
The church was responsible for a good part of the superstitions.
And most of your family traditions comes from the church.
Christmas and Easter have to be the biggest ones.
But it is not only Christianity.
In Iran... Islam still has the same grip on its people that Christianity had 500 years ago in France.
And the Jews have more traditions than the Christians... if that's possible. 
Now... talking about superstitions.
My grand-mother kept the eggs that her chicken would laid on Easter Day... as a cure against illness. She would only eat them if she got sick.
Now... don't ask me for how long she kept them.
I don't even want to think about it.
Now... talking about superstitions.
My grand-mother kept the eggs that her chicken would laid on Easter Day... as a cure against illness. She would only eat them if she got sick.
Now... don't ask me for how long she kept them.
I don't even want to think about it. 1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Dec 08
Actually I was just thinking more in the lines of family traditions and how they started....like having a certain type of meal for a specific holiday meal..LOL
As far as ..."Anyone daring to speak against religion or ridicule a superstition was considered a witch and was burned at the stake. Another mmmm.....In many cases it was the other way around. If you think about very early Christianity the church elders persecuted "heretics" not so much as they dared to speak against the religion. Most who kept their pagan beliefs kept their mouths shut and practiced in secret once Christianity took hold in dominance and it was the Christian church that had the attitude that if you didn't believe exactly as they did the people were killed off..in fact Christianity not only persecuted pagans but simply anyone who didn't follow the church period
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Dec 08
And what's ironic about Christmas and Easter is that they actually have their origins and follow a lot of the traditions of the pagan religions....LOL..Even the whole idea of painting eggs and a rabbit symbolizing Easter is a pagan thing, not Christian
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
19 Dec 08
Keeping up the family traditions is a way to show respect for your elders. I think it is great to keep up family traditions, at least the ones you like.My family as a whole doesn't really like turkey so we don;t have it on Thanksgiving Or Christmas.For Thanksgiving we usually call in for pizza the day before and heat it up to have while the football game is playing. But for Christmas, the menu changes each year. One year we would have a roast chicken, the next year a pot roast. this year I think we are having a roast. A tradition for new Years is for my sister to have black eyed peas. They are a symbol of good luck and wealth in the new year. I don't eat them.As long as the tradition doesn't make you feel silly and it isn't hard to do , then why not keep it up. But I also believe in making your own traditions too. If you prefer Beouf Bourgninon to turkey , then why not make it your tradition to have it each Christmas?
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
21 Dec 08
That's the whole idea. You should have what You like and what makes you feel festive.
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@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Dec 08
actually I have been having Beouf Bourgninon for Christmas dinner for at least five years now...so much easier to make, though does make for a festive and special dinner
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
17 Dec 08
I guess that because my family moved to Texas when I was small, I don't know what is "tradition" and what isn't.
I will say that mom always fixed ham for Easter, maybe a little more special than her regular ham dinner.
Mom didn't mind fixing a big meal one day a week because leftovers are good - or should I say - planned overs...
She's spend one day making spagetti about every 3rd month and then we'd have spagetti a couple of days, then she'd freeze the rest and a couple of weeks later... again. Then dad might have some leftover sauce on eggs or something.
Ham was the meal, then sandwiches and then ham salad. Roast beef, the meal, hot roast beef sandwiches, cold sandwiches, hash... Turkey, well, the meal, another meal, then sandwiches.
Sure, some days she fixed something simple, but at least once a week was a big meal, sometimes twice.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
18 Dec 08
My dad had to teach mom how to cook, she knew how to make a roast and boil potatos, but that was about her limit. Dad, on the other hand, grew up in his parents' resturants during the depression and was the short order cook for some of that time.
Oh, and burning water - well, mom managed to leave a pot on the range until the water boiled dry and burned the pot!
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
Mmmmm....I'm sometimes guilty of that myself. sometimes I get so wrapped up with what I'm doing in front of the computer I uh, tend to forget I'm boiling water for something..that is until I smell something burning...the pot
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
LOL--I never remember a fancy or "big" meal growing up...uh, but then my mother wasn't exactly a skilled cook..neither was my grandmother...if they could burn water they would have...
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
18 Dec 08
the only thing that's really iron clad is the menu.if i deviate even a bit,the crying commences.i decided to try a new stuffing one year,and you'd think i killed somebody.it's not really a bad luck thing,i just don't want to hear it
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
18 Dec 08
it is..totally ridiculous.
but once they get their heart set on something..
i draw the line at that mincemeat pie though. *yuck*
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
LOL---yeesh..that's funny to hear that there was such a fuss over a simple stuffing change
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
18 Dec 08
Hey pye! You know I was trying to remember if we had a
tradition for Christmas or New Years dinners and I just
don't think that we did! Since we didn't exactly celebrate
Christmas exactly and it was my parents anniversary I just
don't remember! I keep thinking Chinese food since that is
my Mom's favorite! And the same for New Years! I just don't
have any real memories! My family was so screwed up it really
doesn't matter! We were Jewish, but celebrated Christmas, only
I wasn't allowed to have a Christmas tree! We celebrated Chanakuh,
but only lit the candles! It's no wonder I no long practice
the religion I was born into! So I guess it really is my choice
as to what I want to have for Christmas and New Years dinners and
I think I change it up depending on if I'm cooking or if I'm
having dinner at my girlfriend/neighbor's. This year I'm making
lasagna and she's making a roast beef like she made for Thanksgiving.
I made the turkey. Can't think as far as New Years, but if you say
having ham is lucky then I just might pick up some ham tomorrow
when I go shopping and make that for New Years dinner since I sure
need all the luck I can get! I hope it's ok for me to just by one
of those ham steaks because that's not really good for my pressure
so I don't want a whole big ham!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
Those ham steaks are good! I no longer get a whole ham either since it's just me now....although might share some of the steak with my kitties...LOL...they LOVE ham.
I make an orange sauce for the ham...boil up some orange juice...add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, add a dash of grated nutmeg and some pineapple chunks...let it simmer for awhile then thicken it up a bit with cornstarch. As a side dish I make candied sweet potatoes with added brown sugar, raisins and apple slices...yum!
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
4 Jan 09
I think a lot of times people follow traditions because either a) it's fun or b) it's predictable or c) they feel like they HAVE to. People like predictable, something about knowing that every year you are going to have Ham on NYE probably takes a bit off stress off your shoulders and stops you from wondering what to do. Sure, you are also slightly superstitious, but a lot of times people keep traditions because they feel like they HAVE to in order to please someone else. My mom has wanted to serve something different for xmas for awhile, but still ended up making turkey because that is what some people want and expect on xmas. I personally don't care what I eat on the holidays as long as I have some fun!
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
17 Dec 08
Pye's Mommy..
I don't remember having any traditions..it would be the same old stuff everyone else had and kinda boring since there was nothing exciting to brag about to other kids..now the only thing I do miss is my Mothers lemon meringue pies since she was the best at baking..She lives in California and me here in Texas so now i don't get them and don't see her often enough..
huggs
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
Mmmm lemon meringue pies..I used to make them myself...LOL. Haven't in ages. I have to admit now that I live alone I don't bake as much....
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
17 Dec 08
Wow, this discussion is ironic! I just posted a discussion about cancelling Christmas because I realized that what I thought were family traditions were actually only MY traditions. No one else seems to care about them so, why should I?
Yeah, my mother had certain things that HAD to be done for each holiday. If they weren't done, the holiday was totally ruined for her! I always thought that was stupid.
With me, it was always about what was 'expected', not so much 'traditional'. Everyone EXPECTS a turkey and ham on the table on Christmas day. I'd be fine with lobster and filet mignon! LOL
It would be interesting to take a look back to find the origins of certain "traditions", kind of like genealogy.
I'm breaking from tradition this year. I've decided not to prepare Christmas dinner for everyone. I'm not doing any more decorating. (I've only done a tiny bit before realizing that no one else seemed to care about it.) I'm not baking any more cookies or breads or cakes. I'm not cooking a turkey or ham. I'm not even going to get a tree. No one else is interested in it so why should I be?
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Dec 08
I think that's why so many people get stressed out at holidays since we seem to feel obligated to celebrate holidays the EXACT same traditional way. Awww...you're not getting a tree...I just got mine today..now that is one tradition I can't break...I like having a "forest" in my home for awhile..and my kitties love to snooze under a tree
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
17 Dec 08
Hi pye,
Yes its true about traditions, my mother and my grandmoter and her mother all used to have duck for New Years dinner and I have been having duck for New Year as well as my sisters and my brothers, strange and none of us ever questioned why but we just do it, after the big turkey for Christmas we'll be taking about buying duck,should I change? no, but weh have gammon ham with our turkey for Christmas and my husband has already bought it, so we have a whole turkey and quite a bigh ham for just the two of us, not forgetting my two cats.
Bright Blessings,
Tamara
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
For awhile there I changed the tradition of having turkey for Thanksgiving and instead would have cornish game hens....I found it so much easier to roast up and not the hours, and hours it would take for a big turkey
@hotsummer (13919)
• Philippines
17 Dec 08
acdtully in our family we dno't ahve much traditions to follow. we can cook whatever food that we like as long as we are there or present to celebrate. there is not much things to observe. during christmas we just have to prepare food so that we will ahve some food if there will be some visitors. and also we have to prepare for new years celebration. that was just about it. we could actually celet\brate or not as we wanted to. well not as exciting as your christmas or new year as it may seem. it is actually boring it my place. but well that's how we celebrate our holidatys here in my home.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Dec 08
Aww--sorry to hear that your place is kind of boring on the holidays. Even though I'm alone now, I still go all out for the holidays, even decorate the place night and festive
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
17 Dec 08
The BIG tradition ion my family has always been collard greens & black eyed peas to bring you wealth. The collard greens will bring you folding money & the peas will bring you change. The MORE you eat on New Years day, the wealthier you will become during the year. My Mom spent hours every New Years Eve looking through fresh collard leaves, picking out the tenderest ones. Then she shredded them into bite size pieces. Then she'd finally cook them. While doing this, she was soaking dried black eyed peas finally cooking them. I lived away from home for about 18 years. Noticing that I was NOT getting richer with each New Year (actually it was going backwards), I decided it was too much work to get broker every year, so I stopped this tradition many years ago. Actually I weaned myself off of it. I started by eating canned greens (yucky)& Bush's canned black eyed peas (yummy), Not caring for the canned greens, I finally told myself...this tradition doesn't work & I stopped doing it. Then when I moved back to my hometown, Mom would call every New Years Day asking if I was having collards & black eyed peas for lunch. When I responded no, she always invited me over to eat with her & Dad. When I pointed out that it didn't help my financial situation, she pointed out how good they both tasted!!! So off to Mom's I'd go for my special New Years Day meal. Now that Mom is no longer with us, I seriously doubt that I will be cooking collards & black eyed peas for New Years. Unless, of course, Dad requests it for his New Years meal. Then how could I say no??? 
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@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Dec 08
LOL...I actually like collard greens myself but know what you mean about canned greens..yuk. But while I'm familiar with the collard greens and black-eyed peas tradition (my great-grandmother had southern ancestral roots) I never recall that a tradition thing to have them on New Year's.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
18 Dec 08
Yep, Georgia here!!! Of course there is ham hock in both the peas & the collards. They taste so bland without a little ham hock!!! To my knowledge, everybody down here ate those mainly on New Years Day to start out the New Year on a positive foot. Never heard anybody say anything about getting rich from eating them any other day of the year!!! 
Of course there is ham hock in both the peas & the collards. They taste so bland without a little ham hock!!! To my knowledge, everybody down here ate those mainly on New Years Day to start out the New Year on a positive foot. Never heard anybody say anything about getting rich from eating them any other day of the year!!! 1 person likes this
@Daydreamer2 (470)
• Philippines
17 Dec 08
traditions starts from our great grandparents and because they believe on it they will sight facts and make others to understand and also follow the tradition. luck really means came from our minds and chinese experts remember Fung shui it does tell how it was expressed. Just follow the tradition because you will understand how it was created when you read books.
I was following a tradition with a smile and i will sight proofs first before i follow it. I've never been broken unless i pray to be broken. i am up to believing what should be believed on. Evidences can make me believe if there is none why should i believe. i only believe God thats all. Happy posting.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Dec 08
I'm just wondering how far back my family traditions went in gneral....I cited my great-grandmother, but no doubt many of the traditions she followed were from her mother, and mother before her.
@gxtiantian (208)
• China
17 Dec 08
A series of questions and a little hard to anwser them since I have not thought about it before. Traditions? Oh, they are boring sometimes since they prevent you from doing this or that, however, they also have their advantages, for instance, sometimes you will find it's easy to do a thing in a traditional way. Hmm, I just can talk so much, because it is really a little hard for me.
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@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Dec 08
I think it's actually nice to change traditions instead of doing the same exact thing each and every year, don't you?
