Traditions Dying Out...

We do have many like this.Our olden day grannies and old men insisted so much on the rules and regimentation that in some cases people protest loudly and do not follow them at all.In some cases, highly educated individuals defy this in the name of rational thinking.However, when people carry these things too far, and attach too much of importance to form over substance , credibility is lost. But, in our house, we do follow some fundamental traditions, like giving importance to certain prayers, worship, customs,chanting of mantras on specific occasions, daily routine prayers,offerings etc..,we do this in our own convenient way and do not attach too much of importance to the precise way it should be done if it becomes impossible in our place---say for example -you say that you would buy poinsettia every year. "The plants' association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico, where legend tells of a young girl who was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The tale goes that the child was inspired by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias.[3] From the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations.:"--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphorbia_pulcherrima I looked it up when you mentioned this and read the beautiful story.It is lovely but if you are not able to buy it you would still go in for a bunch of some other flowers -is it not? That is what I said when I mentioned that i would manage with a substitute-we too ahev things like this in our tradition in observance of many fasts tc.., and now I am in Mumbai and if I cannnnot abide strictly by that I would go in for a diluted version , but still do it all the same , in order to carry on the tradition.I would try to pass it on too-it is only for the remembrance of the spirit behind the whole thing. We feed birds on harvest festival. Cows are offered some things on some special days as a mark of thanksgiving;etc etc .., We have many more-- Sorry if I haev bored you with my long response.

As a parent i never Hope my children to made it up me, We just birth them, and we must sincere to take care of them, sincere means never asking for retaine, I never follow the tradition, your child will know by their self, if we do good for them.

i think that is very nice y'all have those traditions. can't think of any we ever had. i don't have much family but my sons & their families.

i dont really keep traditions of my family but they didnt have many that werent religious.. i have a few of my own but cant have kids so they will die out with me

My mom took good care of my grandparents. I took good care of them as well. My children will surely take good care of me, there's no tradition actually but as it goes it's like a tradition too for good children. No one is obliging us to do it. It's just an initiative from children to take good care of their parents when they grow old.

Yes traditions are dying out... but there is nothing to worry! The world is changing and so we are. In this era of globlazition everything is changing, and not just traditions. I dont believe or wnat to give my traditions to my children. What is important is take good care of your childern. Give them all good knowledge and when thay grow up, let them decide what they want to follow.

my girls have bought into a lot of the family traditions and I see my older grandkids moving in that same direction. Heartwarming!

I dont know of any just that we would have family together at christmas time and I still try to do it. Now I buy my grand daughter a year bear ever year ya know the ones that have the year on the foot. she has 4 now. I hope that my daughter will carry that on when I am gone.

There's not alot of traditions in my family. Well...not unless you count hard work and survival as a tradition. I suppose in the future we can create some. *shrugs* ^_^' I dunno. I suppose it's weird that we don't have any real traditions.

I'm in the same oarless boat as you... no kids, or anyone else to look after me in my old age. Guess we'll just have to go on a cruise and rely on cabin boys...

Hi twoey, I really can't think of any traditions our family have to pass down at this precise moment in time, the one thing that has and will continue to be passed down is a family recipe, my mother started it now my sister and I do also I have a daughter she know maked it, yet she only has a son so hopefully hin wife will learb it abd pass it down littleowl

My children, I hope, will carry on some traditions such as stockings on Christmas morning, a birthday cake at Christmas and Easter, and having novel non-traditional foods on every holiday. I will be doing the same as you, taking care of my mother as she cared for hers, only I have a sister to help. We all take care of each other in my family and my two boys will do the same, I hope. In my family I give my mom Callas chocolate covered liquid center cherries at Christmas. I doubt my boys will do that, but I hope they'll remember me every year.

True our families are so spread out now that traditions have fallen away. My Grandchildren have no idea what I cook for Christmas or Thanksgiving, but I learned from my Mom and she from her Mom, I taught my daughters and son but they have formed their own traditions. We always were with our parents and grandparents for holidays but my kids were to far away to come for these except once in a while. The world is changing, it's the only thing we can count on.

I am not sure if we have family traditions but I sure there are some. I am jsut not away of any righ now.

Firstly, is sad to hear you don't have a daughter to take care of you, and ofcourse keep on the tradition of your family . The Europeans and Americans , l don't think the have some strong traditions; that they practice successively , but Africans really do ,and by all means - ensures that they preserve theirs ,from age to age . One common tradition l'll say we have here ,is the respect for elders - Africans.

I'm glad you are planning to do all this as time goes on. All of my family is gone now. We used to all get together with my husband's family at Thanksgiving. Now his parents are gone. When we had the room we took over that but now my stepdaughter did it last year so I guess that has passed on. I often wonder what will become of me as I get older. Right now due to my separation I am living with my eldest daughter and her family. I am still able to do what I want and I feel a little like I am in the way. But I wonder if she or who will step up if I become unable to take care of myself later. I also remember my mother making Christmas stockings for me, her and my dad. Later I made them for my kids. That has gone.

We had a tradition of opening one present at a time. Later my brother added to it (or maybe his ex imposed it at first) of designating a "Santa" to hand out the gifts. I guess since we didn't grow up around an extended family we didn't pick up any that my mother didn't want - so I don't think we have too many to be lost.... I don't care, I, like my father before me, is just as happy to sleep in on Christmas day.

I have a six year old son and I feel for the preset that he will carry on with the traditions of the family. But it will be very difficult to say that and one can only hope so. Days have changed a lot and people no longer live in joint families and this has a lot to do with the tradition-keep. Even in the present situation it will be dificult for the youngsters to keep pace with tradition, as they will be busy to keep pace with the present day culture only.

There were a few traditions passed down from my great-grandmother's day especially when it came to certain types of food at certain holidays, such as always having a ham for New Years dinner as it was supposed to bring luck for the New Year. It's a tradition I still keep even though it's just me as my grandmother and mother are both gone now. I'm like you though, I have no one to follow me as I don't have any children either. As far as some of the "things" I have. I'm hoping to make some kind of arrangements, perhaps maybe cite it in a will to donate many of the old documents I have going back to my great-great grandparents time...and have them go to a historical society. Would hate think of all those old documents just trashed out when I'm gone

Hi Twoey, My Family has many traditions and I try to pass them down with many of my nieces and nephews. I do not have children either to take care of me but maybe that is why I married a wonderful man 11 years younger than me. LOL I am the youngest of 6 but there are only 4 of us left. It seems that the oldest sibling and I are the only ones that have kept many of the family traditions. Most of our traditions surround the Holidays, the gatherings, activities and the food. My Dad also started researching and recording our family tree and My older sister and I have found more information on our ancestors since my Dad's passing. We are trying to get all the information and keeping it updated as the years go by. There were also a few "crazy: things that my Mom did for us when we were all kids. She said it was a way to entertains us 6 kids and to just have fun. I try to do these with my nieces and nephews to have fun with them too. We would have backwards day, you had to do everything backwards, walk, talk, dress and even eat dessert before dinner. The first winter snow, my Mom would lite the BBQ grill and we would have a picnic. Kite making and flying day was a blast. She did all sorts of these things with us. Family gatherings are always remembered and had lots of traditional foods. Pictures were taken at all and albums created. I just really hope that these will be passed down as the kids grow up and have families of their own.