15 Forgotten Traditions Making a Comeback in Modern Society
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Traditions form cultural identity and community connection, and they play a significant role in people’s lives. According to the Pew Research Centre, 61% of adults aged 50 and above say traditions are important to national identity. According to Statista, cooking/baking was the leading pastime activity, at 41%.
These once-repressed practices are finally having their moment, and why not? It’s time to recover what it means to be human, appreciate simplicity’s beauty, and value our most precious minutes.
Handwritten Letters
Searches for ‘Letter Writing Paper’ on Hobbycraft have increased 45 percent since 2020. Letter to Strangers, a campaign founded by Diana Chao, aims to positively impact people’s mental health and empathy through letter writing.
It has been said that handwriting engages all parts of the brain like typing does not, spurring people to be more thoughtful in what they say. The time and care that go into a handwritten letter communicate beyond the page’s literal words. The shapes these letters and words take reflect the warmth and personal familiarity of someone’s hand.
Home Gardening
Statistics from Raleigh Realty Homes indicate that 55 percent of households in the U.S. own a garden. As more Americans grow increasingly concerned about the environment and wish to become less dependent upon supermarkets and canned goods, having a garden in the backyard is necessary.
This brings fresh produce and a dash of zen right to our doorstep. According to University of Sussex studies, gardening is as mood-boosting and stress-reducing as exercise. Vertical and container gardening are sprouting up as urban spaces shrink.
Family Meal Times
Amidst our craving for reconnecting and rebuilding familial ties, family mealtimes are experiencing a renaissance. A report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University states that teens who have regular family dinners are 50% less likely to use alcohol and drugs.
The Association adds that 91 percent of parents have noticed that shared meals make their family less stressed. ‘Not only does sharing meals with others reduce stress, but it can improve self-esteem and social connection in children as well,’ says Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S, associate director of preventive cardiology at Johns Hopkins.
Knitting and Crocheting
Knitting and crocheting aren’t just for grandmothers anymore. Thirty-six percent of American women—53 million—know how to knit or crochet, a 51 percent increase since 2000. Knitting and crocheting are creative, mindful, and good for the soul.
Instagram and Pinterest overflow with a dizzying array of fresh, exciting patterns in innumerable bright and subtle color combinations, appealing to teenagers and seniors. Hashtags such as #YarnLove and #KnitCrochet have racked up millions of hits as an engaged community of fiber lovers posts pictures of their latest projects, united behind friendly, encouraging comments. Eight in 10 knitters and crocheters report that the skill lessens their stress.
Book Clubs
Reading engages the social brain in complex ways. Eventbrite listings for book club events increased 350 percent between 2019 and 2023. Today, millions of us yearn for conversations that offer substance when too much of ‘social’ life feels flimsy.
‘Book clubs are moving away from someone’s house to meet at different restaurants or as a way to try new places in a city and connect over a book,’ said Teri Coan, brand manager for Once Upon a Book Club. Themed book club events, such as queer book clubs, saw an 82 percent increase in attendance in 2023.
Homemade Preserves
This isn’t just about fruit packing. It’s a flavor explosion that feeds nostalgic, inventive, and sustainable consumer interest. There is also a move towards home preservation—canning, dehydrating, or vacuum sealing—to minimize food waste.
Creative crossovers abound – think chili-mango or lavender-berry jam – and timeless recipes are being reinvented. Farmer’s market products with the farm-to-jar phrase in bright red lettering are becoming the beacon of local organic produce.
Film Photography
The unpredictability of the film has a romantic quality. It is an art form that embraces mistakes as part of its craft. The size of the global film cameras market was USD 277.89 million in 2023 and is likely to reach USD 427.42 million by 2032.
Brands such as Kodak and Fujifilm are responding to this resurgent interest by re-releasing film stocks from yesteryear, including Kodak Ektachrome, which is currently back in production due to popular demand.
Traditional Cooking Methods
Fermenting, pickling, and ‘low-and-slow’ open-flame grilling spice up contemporary kitchens. These age-old techniques bring unparalleled flavors, nutritional benefits, and a certain charm that’s hard to resist.
A recent American Journal of Clinical Nutrition paper found that fermented foods improve gut health and enhance immune function. No wonder health-minded people around the world have over-embraced kombucha, sauerkraut, and kimchi as essentials in their pantries.
Tea Ceremonies
Drinking tea can help you take a break from your day-to-day busyness and simply be instead of doing. It exemplifies the power of making things and the value of tradition, mindfulness, and sharing. It also helps you understand why Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender is ‘obsessed’ with calmative jasmine tea.
According to Statista, as of October 2021, only 0.8 percent of the Japanese population participated in Japanese tea ceremony activities. In Japan, the practice of ‘sado,’ or the way of tea, is being explored by the younger generation as a form of cultural enrichment.
Folk Dancing
This resurgence is partly due to a growing interest in heritage activities and a desire for fun, participatory group experiences. It is an activity that encourages everyone—young and old, skilled or unskilled—to join in the movement and the fun—left feet and all.
Folk dances such as the Irish Jig, the Scottish Country Dance, and the American Square Dance are all experiencing a renaissance due to community, civic, and educational festivals and even school curriculums that teach and ensure the continuation of our cultures.
Vinyl Records
According to figures from the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl sales have experienced double-digit year-over-year increases for more than a decade, and 2022 saw an outright milestone: for the first time since 1987, sales of L.P.s surpassed those of C.D.s (and in 2022, more than 41 million vinyl records were purchased).
The warmth of analog sound, the ritualistic nature of the deck, and even the size of the album artwork contribute to an experience with nostalgic and new music. ‘Gen Zers do have a 27 per cent higher likelihood of owning vinyl than the average listener,’ says Forbes.
Formal Dress and Etiquette
The events industry is in full swing. In-person accounts for 60 percent, virtually for 35 percent, and hybrid accounts for 5 percent. All are perfect ways to upscale your daily interactions and experiences.
With public events – from the royal wedding to the Oscars – becoming the primary venues, the excuse of ‘dressing for the occasion’ comes into play – which in turn sees etiquette classes re-emerge. A Linkedin course covering business etiquette basics saw a 30% increase in views since 2022.
Home Remedies
WHO says 170 of its 194 Member States have reported using herbal medicines, acupuncture, yoga, and indigenous therapies. Such treatments are fuelled in large measure by the appeal of using personal power over health and a return to nature’s medicines.
That age-old stalwart for upset stomachs and chesty colds – a steaming cup of ginger tea – is making a comeback as an anti-inflammatory. Honey, an innate remedy with proven antibacterial properties, is hailed as a sweet medicine to soothe a sore throat – now backed by a study from the Mayo Clinic.
Quilting
Today’s quilters, in fact, add $3.76 billion annually to the American economy. Speaking as someone who has traveled the world with quilt-loving colleagues and friends, they are young and international—with a healthy growth in engagement from millennials and Gen Z who are attracted to quiltmaking because it ‘checks the sustainability box’ and ‘it’s just cool.’
Influencers and enthusiasts on Instagram and Pinterest share their quilting endeavors, driven by trends such as reworking old fabrics and quilt-a-thons organized in their communities.
Communal Singing
Studies conducted by Chorus America show that some 42.6 million North Americans are singing in choruses today, and more than one in five households has at least one singer at home.
Movements such as Edinburgh’s ‘Sing in the City,’ the U.S.’s “Rise Up and Sing,” and “Choir! Choir! Choir!” (digital platform) cater to singers of every age and background. They attract vast numbers of people regardless of age, class, or ethnicity.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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