Traditions we have lost?

[Lydara22]

Brought on by family circumstance currently, I remembered that when I was a child, my mother always closed all of the curtains in the house as a respectful sign of mourning.
We don't do that anymore do we?

What other respectful traditions have we lost?

Scottish…there was alway a scramble at a wedding, Dad did one at mine early 90’s, not sure if it still happens though.

A scramble when the bride leaves her house for church.

When I was little when a bride was leaving her house all the children in the street would gather and the bride's father would throw loads of coins in the air and all the children would scramble to catch them.

First-footing after the Bells at Hogmanay almost never happens now.

The decline in manners. Also, that 60s mini skirt decided to shrink even more and turn into knickers - I couldn't believe all the bum cheeks on display in Tesco last summer, Christ !

Annual ‘Bob a Job’. I was a Brownie but my brother was a Scout cub and I went with him, knocking on strangers’ doors. Most jobs involved cleaning silver cutlery, weeding or cleaning windows.

Mum panicking about the curtains being still drawn after 8am - “The neighbours will think someone died!”

Christmas presents piled in front of the fireplace in parent’s bedroom as if they had all fallen down the chimney.

Not speaking at meal times (probably just my family!) Putting knife and fork down between each mouthful (probably just my dad!)

Going back to school after Easter in ankle socks with a sun tan line half way up my legs.

Only ate sweets on pocket money day - 3d a week bought loads of fruit salads, black jacks and parma violets 😋

Bath once a week on Sundays.

Are flower girls a thing anymore? I attended two weddings last year and neither of en had a flower girl. One didn't even have bridesmaids.

I’m English but have many Scottish relatives. Most certainly when someone died they often ‘left from home’ and on the day of the funeral the whole street would have their curtains closed until the funeral cortege had departed.

Never saw it happen down south.

I laughed at your description of the stations of the cross. I remember as a child, my catholic granny (I wasn't raised on the faith) minding me on good Friday and taking me to the stations. It was so long I fainted. A few years ago my mother's sister called and I prepared a lunch which included meat only to be reminded it was ash Wednesday and a muttered I told your Mother at the time not to marry him (my Dad). Thankfully the majority of my family on both sides shrugged off the shackles of religion.

I loved Halloween and its associated traditions, some of which I continue to this day; putting food on the door steps for the wandering ghosts, lighting a candle in the window to light the way of the spirits. My grandmother used tell us ghost stories while we played Halloween games and ate our collection of sweets and nuts.

Yes to calling neighbours Mr& Mrs, I still call my childhood neighbours Mr&Mrs despite having children of my own now.

I don’t do cards of any sort. I’d close the curtains if I knew there was a funeral leaving from my street though, and I always stop and bow my head if a hearse passes me (not that it happens often) because I remember feeling huge gratitude for a man with a street sweeping cart who did so as I passed at my uncle’s funeral when I was in my 20s.
I hold doors too (for anyone who arrives at one at the same time as me).
I’m 59 - is it my age?

Our town had stations of the cross staged dotted all around it. Took the full day to walk to all 12 and watch the scenes being acted out by the local Am Drams. Usually it rained. Catholic children must be the most patient of all because of the endless masses and holy celebrations they have to sit through!

Flower girls were never a thing where I grew up - some started to creep 8n when American weddings got seen on tv.

@Taytocrisps can report that I had my throat blessed today 😀

I hate the shackles of tradition.

I’m (just) old enough to remember men raising their hats if they met a lady* in the street. Though it was dying out even then.
*always referred to as a lady, not a woman - that’s another thing that’s gone.

Giving up your seat on the bus
Holding doors open for others.
Not leaving the dining table until everyone has finished.

@MrsMoastyToasty these are all alive and well. Certainly some people don’t do them, but plenty still do — and I’m in Greater London rather than somewhere more obviously friendly.

@CandiceEatsCandiez sometimes the traditions are what unite us and sometimes they are what get us through the darkest moments.

but yes, sometimes they are annoying if you are doing it not by choice (remembers childhood church parades and would have preferred to be sat with an Enid Blyton at the top of the garden with a cat).

We have Mummers who perform every Boxing Day in our town.

If that's Marshfield I've often been to watch over the years. Really old tradition connecting us to the past.

Mari llwyd still exists in my little corner of Wales, but it isn't the thing it used to be

Taking a plate to the chippy to put your fish and chips on.
Bread and butter and a pot of tea on the table for most meals.
Visiting every relative with your new baby in the pram.

@ginasevern in Keynsham, near Bath.

On the coins for babies thing, it's still a thing where I am in Scotland. My tiny baby was given 50p yesterday by a lady in Aldi! I think he's up to about a fiver now.

First footing also a thing.

What seems to have disappeared is the unofficial tradition of finding someone to give your parking ticket to, when it still has some time left on it. I blame Ringo

Answering the phone with a four digit phone number! (I'm probably showing my age)

The parking ticket thing still exists here. Although I got a fright when I looked up one day (having just parked my car) to find a strange man standing beside my window.

I hadn't realized today was the 3rd! My head is still back in January . Do they still do it with two candles? Iirc, the priest used to cross over two candles at your throat.