Tradition is a funny thing. Sometimes it seems like a deeply ingrained part of our culture and who we truly are. Just think about Thanksgiving without Turkey or Christmas without a tree. However, as deeply rooted in our culture as many customs are, time has a way of changing everything. Cheapism recently posted a list of 23 American traditions that are left to the history books. We have included a few below that we remember even if society has forgotten them.
Community Cookbooks
It was very common in the past for church groups, PTAs, and other community organizations to publish cookbooks of favorite recipes shared by members to fundraise or to commemorate a special event. Today, people are more likely to find their recipes through Google, and if you want to share that old family recipe, you’ll probably use email, text, or social media.
Taking Pictures and Waiting to See Them
No one decades ago would have imagined that everyone would be walking around with supercomputers in their pockets that take pictures that are instantly viewable. Younger generations can’t understand we used to spend our vacations snapping photos that we wouldn’t see until weeks later when we got the film developed.
Catching a Can’t-Miss TV Show
Much like what smartphones and digital cameras have done to photography, the advancement of streaming has changed the way we watch TV. Today, most people prefer to binge-watch shows. They watch them whenever they want and pause if they need. In the past, we had Appointment TV. If we weren’t in front of the television set at 7:00 and missed our favorite show, we just, well, missed it.
Loading Up the Station Wagon and Heading to the Drive-In
Back in the day, going to the drive-in was about as American as you could get. Loading up the family or a group of friends in the old station wagon to catch a double feature was a popular way to spend summer. Sadly, these days are gone.
While we don’t necessarily agree with Cheapism that all of the American traditions on their list are “gone forever,” it’s definitely worth a read. Check out all 23 here.
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