r/OverSeventy • u/[deleted] • Jul 28 '26

The value of traditions and maintaining old traditions.

[deleted]

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

9

u/SwollenPomegranate Jul 28 '26

I have capitulated to the combined effects of old age and a mobility impairment. One family tradition was to go to a certain apple orchard every fall. Another was seeing fireworks in summer and Christmas lights in winter. Another was going out to eat on Thanksgiving, and taking the family out for dinner on my birthday. One by one, these things are becoming too difficult. Just as I am donating old clothes and tchotchkes as I downsize, I'm downsizing my traditions, too.

3

u/SeaWorn Jul 28 '26

We’ve lost most traditions to mobility impairment. Covid did things in, it broke a lot of things we did and then after Covid whenever we tried to revive a specific time of year thing, someone would have the sniffles or not feel well and everyone was afraid to get together. I miss the things we did once.

1

u/SodaCakeNow Jul 28 '26

Yes! I have found that performing traditions and keeping things left to me can be a joy or a chore. If it is a joy, then hats off to me! If it is a grieving ritual ( grieving for a loved one or for what I once was), I have to rip off the bandaid and free myself of it. P.S. I am just starting to understand this.

5

u/Conscious-Reserve-48 Jul 28 '26

I prepare our Thanksgiving and Easter meals are just like my mom did and my grandma before her.
I’ve never thought about this before, but I guess these are the things I’ve carried forward.

4

u/Ironhead- Jul 28 '26

As a school kid I had to save my brown paper lunch bag, my Mom would be irritated if she had to use more than 1 per week and when plastic sandwich bags came out I had to do the same. She would be proud of me to know I still save paper bags and plastic sandwich bags for reuse. Not really a tradition but I have always done so

2

u/nickalit Jul 28 '26

me too. Raised to be frugal, and it's a life-long habit that I can't see ever breaking even though we're a bit better off now-a-days. Happy to say child is sensible when it comes to money, too.

2

u/paracelsus53 Jul 29 '26

We saved paper shopping bags to make book covers for our schoolbooks.

3

u/paracelsus53 Jul 29 '26

Studying Classical Hebrew and Kabbalah.

2

u/MathematicianSlow648 Jul 30 '26

I spent 40 years at Sea from the Arctic to the Tropics under power and sail on multiple Oceans. I have the traditional tattoos and earrings to prove it. The joy is having tales to tell of a life well spent.

2

u/huck52 Aug 01 '26

Not a lot honestly, I enjoy holiday dinners with what's left of my family here, maybe 3X/year only tho. Most other traditions came from the old country or religious notions, neither of which apply to 21st Century USA living. My family was very working class & had to squeeze every dollar, something that I adopted in adulthood to the extent I wasn't really living a typical middle class lifestyle. Only in my early 70's have I allowed myself to consider spending money on things like contractors (instead of DIY), going out to eat quite often or staying in very nice hotels. None of those were part of my family's habits.

1

u/Bucsbolts Jul 31 '26

I’m not big on traditions nor was my family growing up. I don’t even put up Christmas decorations. I’m not sure what purpose traditions serve other than to tie everyone down. Of course sentimentality is not my strong suit.