It is impossible to imagine human history without traditions or holidays of some sort. They’re a core part of who we are, just like spirituality, creativity, and enjoying a darn good home-cooked meal. We’re hardwired to be social and empathetic, after all, so there’s a constant inner desire to connect to the people around us. Celebrating things on a regular basis is a way to do just that.
However, no traditions fully withstand the test of time. All of them change to some extent. Others disappear completely. The members of the r/AskAnAmerican online community considered exactly this question, sharing which US traditions and holidays they believe might become completely obsolete over the next few decades. Scroll down to read their thoughts on this, including why Halloween and Christmas might look very different in the future.
Bored Panda wanted to learn more about holidays and traditions, so we got in touch with Glenn Geher, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz and a published author. We also reached out to redditor u/Extreme-Routine3822 who started the viral online discussion in the first place. You’ll find our interviews with both of them as you read on.
#1
Day Light Savings.
Image source: indigoworm, Luca Nardone /pexels
#2
Black Friday. It’s already dying and I see it basically dead in that time span. Nobody is gonna rush at midnight to save $50 on a TV anymore.
Image source: Maxpowr9, Powhusku/flickr
#3
Bobbing for apples at Halloween. I think it was already dying out when I was a kid, now I barely see it, so it might be gone or mostly gone in 25 years.
Image source: MonsterHunterBanjo, Dark Dwarf/flickr
#4
Christmas cards. We used to get dozens when I was a kid. Almost every family sent them. Now I only get a couple and only send one or two.
Image source: ChutneyRiggins, Paris on Ponce & Le Maison/flickr
#5
The Miss America pageant. It’s strange now to think how big an annual event it still was in the ’80s and ’90s; I think for a few years they stopped even televising it.
And on that note, live broadcast television that you access by turning on the TV and flipping through the channels to see what’s on. There will still be live events, of course, but in 25 years those may be accessed just through apps. It was only recently that “appointment TV” still provided a common reference point for masses of Americans.
Image source: MittlerPfalz, US Department of Education
#6
I think class reunions will be more or less entirely dead by then.
Image source: sto_brohammed, olia danilevich/pexels
#7
I might get some pushback for this, but gender reveal parties are probably not gonna disappear, but they’re gonna go back to the low-key innocent things like slicing into a cake to find out if it’s pink or blue. Or something else might add to it where after the gender is revealed they could also do a name reveal. Either that or I might be overthinking. Lol.
Image source: Metroid_cat1995, Luis Quintero/pexels
#8
Mischief night. The reason why is because we all have phones now so causally vandalizing someone’s house with eggs and toilet paper could be filmed and well you know the rest.
Image source: eldritch-charms, Roseohioresident
#9
May Day is mostly already dead, but in 25 years forget it. People won’t even remember it was a thing.
I am talking about the tradition of making up a small basket of goodies and leaving it on a friend’s doorstep, ringing the bell and then hiding. This was a thing still in the 70s/80s when I was growing up, but I don’t know any kids anymore that do this.
Image source: Gertrude_D, Sharefaith/pexels
#10
Black Friday, at least in the traditional sense of being lined up out the store and waiting with a bunch of people for it to open, thanks to it being extended to last all weekend now or even longer and online shopping.
Image source: Kevin7650, Tim Douglas/pexels
#11
Block Parties. i don’t think they even do them anymore.
Image source: Fun-Swimming4133, Naked Pictures of Bea Arthur
#12
I just went to the 50 year reunion of my wife’s high school class.
There were maybe 40 people, of whom many, like me, didn’t attend.
I think we stayed for under 30 minutes.
Image source: cryptoengineer, cottonbro studio/pexels
#13
I feel like the days of private fireworks are wanning. The fire danger, injury, impact to pets, etc. Maybe they’ll never go to zero but I think it will be on the margins. There might be an increase of professional shows, with the role of drones increasing.
Image source: DJSauvage, Masaru Suzuki/pexels
#14
Columbus Day is probably on its way out.
Image source: zugabdu, Jazz Guy
#15
I’m really afraid it’s going to be trick-or-treating in your neighborhood!! Since that trend took off where parents just park their vans at a church or some s**t, I almost never see it. I bought a house in the cutest little neighborhood and was SO excited for the kids to come by last year, and I didn’t get a single one! There’s a lot of kids in my neighborhood too, I see them all the time. I was so disappointed. I miss small communities.
Image source: december14th2015, Charles Parker /pexels
#16
Trick or treating is being replaced by “trunk or treat”, which is incredibly lame and makes me sad. Maybe there will be a resurgence but as of now it does appear to be dying.
edit: please stop telling me about your neighborhood where this isn’t the case, the fact that something that used to be ubiquitous is now only happening in like half the country is still a sign of a dying tradition, please stop being pedants.
Image source: liberletric, Kidaria/reddit
#17
I used to really enjoy going to polling places on election day and say hello to neighbors who also were there to vote, and the poll workers who were usually the older retirees in the neighborhood. They typically knew everyone by name, and they’d ask about kids, etc.
For the past few elections (especially since Covid) this is no longer the case. I miss it!
Image source: NPHighview, AEC images/flickr
#18
Thank you cards. They are a pain in the and can simply be handled with a text or just saying thanks next time you see the person.
I know I never if I dont get one.
Image source: gogmosis, GlitterandFrills/flickr
#19
Are bake sales still a thing? I think those are gonna be goners. People barely have time to cook for themselves and groceries are ridiculously expensive. I personally hear the words “bake sale” and quietly slink away.
Image source: ReasonableSal, Hakc5/reddit
#20
I think it’s already started to disappear but sending Christmas cards.
Image source: BirdieAnderson, Brigitte Tohm/pexels
#21
College homecoming celebrations. When I was a student the homecoming parade was a BIG deal, as were the other events surrounding it. Great time to be in Greek Life!
This past Saturday was our school’s homecoming, and there was *nothing*. A group of alumni met at a favorite college bar for a little while, but it was just a group of guys who graduated in the 80’s/early 90’s. My little bro and I went to the house and ran into 2 actives–most had gone home for the weekend. No parties, just a normal, quiet Saturday afternoon.
The university canceled the floats (and soon after, the entire parade) years ago. COVID killed the rest of the social events surrounding homecoming. It’s all very dead, and feels so surreal…
Image source: Kman5471, Bob Jones Band Boosters/flickr
#22
Memorial Day, fewer and fewer people are actually going out and decorating graves.
Image source: Novapunk8675309, D0N MIL04K/pexels
#23
Agriculture based school year. In favor of a year round with quarterly breaks. Some parts of the country have already done this. I would expect more to follow. Possibly based on the new typical weather patterns & school setup in the local region.
Maybe some places get a longer break during hurricane season. Others during the Nor Easter season. Others based on the peak heat or main employer in the area.
Of course that assumes we still have a department of education in 25 years. I hope not but I suppose public schools could be a thing of the past altogether depending on how things go next month.
Image source: Full-Contest-1942, Caleb Oquendo/pexels
#24
This is more state specific, but hopefully Robert E Lee’s birthday, Jefferson Davis’ birthday, and Columbus Day.
Image source: dangleicious13, MarineCorps NewYork/flickr
#25
Halloween will still be a thing but with Covid and hillocopter parenting, the kids today are probably the last generation to trick or treat.
A coworker of mine just posted in our team chat that in her town, only those who post in advance on Google get their houses listed as trick or treat sites. If they aren’t on the map, then people don’t come.
Trunk or treats are everywhere here and not just at churches, but secular things too. Our town, the state park, the womens college basketball team, the army Corp of engineers park, etc.
I think in another 20-30 years Thanksgiving and the big Thanksgiving dinner won’t be so much of a thing but it’s still going strong now. That would make me sad because it’s my favorite meal of the year and I love the Harvest season.
Image source: OceanPoet87, Daisy Anderson/pexels
#26
Easter. It seems to be that many nonchristians worldwide do celebrate Christmas, but not Easter. It was once a much bigger holiday in the western nations. Perhaps some kind of spring holiday, generic, will replace it.
Image source: Sorrysafaritours, cottonbro studio /peels
#27
I teach in a predominantly hispanic region of the United States, and my students were baffled that I actually do something for Saint Patrick’s Day. They had never even heard of corned beef and cabbage.
Image source: tn00bz, Laura Tancredi/pexels
#28
As strange as it sounds to some people, I think Easter is one that’s going/gone except for religious Christian people. This may also be true in Canada as when I was up there in April for the eclipse, I was asked how I spent ‘the long weekend’ (they get Good Friday & Easter Monday off) so everyone must just take it to just be a few extra days off from work. In the US we never officially had Easter Monday off so that weekend feels more like any other spring weekend to me.
Image source: mobileagnes, Photo By: Kaboompics.com/pexels
#29
Two things actually.
1) Weddings ,or atleast large weddings. My older sister got married in a small room in city hall, and my twin sister had a small backyard wedding( though, that one was due to covid). Alot of americans are either too strapped for cash , or are starting to see the wedding itself as less important (and that is IF we get married).
2)Not a holiday, but a tradition. Traveling to family for holidays.When I was younger, on my mother’s side, we used to travel to my aunts or uncles houses for thanks giving. Even when we had to drive for 2 days to do it. Once my mom hosted and the family came to celebrated with us. The only reason it wasn’t the same with my dad side was because he is from Costa Rica, thanksgiving being an american holiday, him and his family didn’t really celebrate often.But the last few thanksgivings ,I didn’t really travel. Even after covid,my mom and I just celebrated with a friend of hers, and the friend’s husband. Both of wich had adult kids who also didn’t come to celebrate with them.Even for Christmas and New Years, I can’t remeber the last time i travled to celebrate with family. I think ,again, it has to do with cash. While driving is a common and cheapest way to travel in the US, you still need to save up, especially since people are moving further and further away for work. And unless you have paid time off, only the day of the holiday is given off (if it’s a federally recognized holiday. and alot of people can’t afford days off without pay.Regardless of the means of travel , you need time to travel.And given how few Americans are haveing kids (most of those who have kids tending to keep it small with 1-3) we may have fewer family to travel to. If we could afford it.
Image source: GreenDecent3059, Jonathan Borba/pexels
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