Traditions

8/27/2012

How do traditions factor into your life? What are some traditions or ways of doing things we have that might seem strange, or even cruel, to those who do not participate? Should cultural practices that appear outdated, unusual, or discriminatory be continued for the sake of tradition? What are the benefits or risks for continuing and discontinuing traditions?

67 Comments

Fred Schlichtholz

8/27/2012 07:26:13 am

Traditions have not played a role in my life on earth until this past Saturday. In playing with the Tampa Bay Rays Scout Team and with that I have a big tradition I have to follow in order to play with the team. Now even though the team is a major league team they have smaller teams that branch off of it and you have to go through them to actually make it to the MLB. Well those smaller teams all have tradition whether it be from the way you wear your uniform to the way to communicate with your team and coaches. My new tradition is going to be the way that I wear my uniform which is high socks clean white pants no flat brim and clean shaved.

Some traditions that may be taboo to others in this world I would have to say that some Americans practice is circumcision. That is a traditions in some house holds that in others may not be acceptable. Also how revealing our clothing is, even though not a big deal to us some find that they should cover up from head to toe. As for if these traditions are right or wrong I think that's up to the culture to decided if they should be continued or discontinued. The benefits from discontinuing a tradition I don't know I have never experienced such a thing but the negatives could be bad if the majority of the people disagree.

Sydney Althof

8/27/2012 08:15:03 am

Tradition's are important to some people. I really don't have that many traditions though. But, I do have some. Usually every year I go to my grandparents for Christmas and Labor Day. We usually have a big party in Blythe (where they live) with a lot of people in their small town. It's a farming town so we usually shoot birdies and go down to the Colorado River to fish and what not.
I think some events/traditions can be cruel to people in/ out of the tradition. For example there are traditions for clubs and you have to do initiation or the clubs to get into their traditions as a group. There are pros and cons for both continuing and discontinuing a traditions. For continuing the pro(s) are that you will continue what your family has for probably years, con(s) you will have to worry about setting up the tradition and getting ready for a busy month or even year. For discontinuing the pro(s) are that you will maybe less stressed out or have more alone time, con(s) some people don't like being alone that often and you will never get to continue a great tradition that was passed down by your family for probably a great amount of time.

Austin White

8/27/2012 09:07:16 am

White, Austin
08-27-12

Traditions in my family are pretty simple we usually have a barbeque every Sunday to try to get caught up with the older siblings. On birthdays we always have at least a birthday dinner. On Christmas we simply wake up very early and every one such as sibling’s come over and we make a big breakfast and open gifts! During summer we always go to the great island of Catalina, Its always amazing there. My family celebrates every single holiday we aren’t necessarily a very religious family so nothing special on that part.
I think people should do the way they do things tradition wise. There shouldn’t be a law on what things you have to do and not do on certain holidays. Everyone should be free to do whatever they want on Christmas or Thanksgiving or all the other holidays. There is no risk to continuing certain traditions unless there things crazy as to such hurting one another, but people will do things the way they want. Other than that though everybody does something different and there should be no law on how to do certain things.

Max Vineyard

8/29/2012 01:17:48 pm

I completely agree with you Austin. Traditions shouldn't be outlawed because someone doesn't necessarily like the tradition. I also think it is really cool that your family has barbecues almost every Sunday. It sounds like a great way to keep up with one another. I think you really hit the nail on the head when it came to talking about the risk factor and all of that. Overall I agree with what you said and I think you summed it all up perfectly.

Jarret Osmialowski

8/27/2012 09:31:40 am

I think traditions are the glue that hold together diversity. I think of the world as a model. People are the the pieces, the pieces are made of diversity, and traditions are the glue. Without traditions, there is no diversity, without diversity, what is the world? One boring gray blob? No, we have traditions, and they should be kept. I think that some traditions that may not be useful today, such as discriminatory traditions, should no be continued. There are many benefits and consequences if you keep OR discontinue a tradition. Not everyone will be happy because their traditions are different or they like or dislike said tradition. Traditions are what keeps diversity.

Fred Schlichtholz

8/29/2012 07:29:09 am

I think you have a good point of view on the way traditions effect the world. I do think diversity is something that really does keep the world going around. That's why many people like traveling far away to small islands because America has made many parts of the world adapt to their way of tradition. Traditions are a way to keep people who they are and true to themselves. Also a way to bring people togethier and be a family even if they don't know the other person.

emma kriechbaumer

8/30/2012 12:36:16 pm

Jarret, i couldn't agree with you more. I loved how you said the traditions were the glue to the world because they truly are ! They give us something to look forward to, to get excited about and i believe we all need that. Traditions also give us diversity and separate our cultures. Without traditions and diversity.. like you said our world would be "one boring gray blob" and no one would like that! I believe just like you mentioned that getting rid of traditions would not be a good thing which is why we should keep them. They can set individuals apart and truly show our personalities and represent our backgrounds.

Max Vineyard

8/27/2012 02:07:59 pm

Traditions are what separate people from one another. I understand people might have the same traditions but not everybody does it the same exact way. My family tradition is that every birthday after cake and presents we pass a candle around the table and say one thing we like and wish for the person in the years to come. We have been doing this since before I can remember and every birthday I look forward to passing that candle around the table. I guess what i'm trying to say is that traditions are like our families peace of mind and that whenever your tradition may be you can always look forward to it.

Austin White

8/28/2012 09:18:25 am

Max, that is a great way to say it. You are correct traditions are what keeps families different from one another. Just like in my family we don't do anything super crazy to in extent as to hurting someone or something along the lines.
Your tradition does sound very calm and relaxing and not very crazy. Well not crazy at all but the point is every one does everything different and there is no right or wrong.

Daly Brister

8/27/2012 02:19:32 pm

Tradition is nonexistent in my family.It doesn't play a role in my routine. However it is a very powerful thing. It can destroy friendships and build civilizations. It is also a beautiful thing that can connect generations and millions of people who will never even meet. The down side of this connection is that not everyone takes part in it, but if they did, it wouldn't have as much meaning as it does when sharing it with a select group of people.
The fairness of tradition in our culture all depends on each individuals perception of it. For example, some Jewish people may view a christmas tree in the park as a beautiful public display and not pay much attention to its underlying origin. Others may view it as an invasion of their religion and civil rights.
As time goes on and the generations grow more and more accepting and open our society will feel less obligated to separate cultures with traditions.

Gaelen Martin

8/28/2012 12:55:50 pm

I completely agree with you! Many traditions have connections within cultures, but not everyone can be part of it. I also agree with you when you said that if everyone took part in one specific tradition, it wouldn't be as unique or personal anymore. The part you wrote about Christmas is also something I think about. It must be hard for other people to see things like Christmas trees everywhere when they don't take part in that tradition. However, these people take part in their own holidays and traditions that are also unique to their religion and culture. Your last statement made a ton of sense. Hopefully soon as cultures spread people will be more welcoming of different traditions.

Daniela Ruffo

8/27/2012 03:25:58 pm

Traditions used to play a big part in my family when I was little. My family would have big parties on holidays. But some traditions get old and people forget. My family would still throw parties now and then, but it wasn't the same as before. My grandmother would be the one to always remind us to stay united. So we do have dinner parties and do eveything we can to stay on track.
A lot of traditions can be cruel to people, like traditional punishments and such. I personally think that those traditions should be broken. But if the tradition is religious, like something cultural that your family believes in, then it should be your family's decision on whether or not to break the tradition. There are risks on breaking traditons, like it may result in a big fight in the family, then it won't be even worth it. But there are benefits to it aswell, like making new traditions that are mordern and you feel more comfortable using. Traditions that keep the family together are the most important ones to follow and always have to do your best to keep them alive.

Emma Kriechbaumer

8/27/2012 03:52:45 pm

Traditions factor into our lives in many ways whether it’s by missing school or getting together with the family. Traditions are very important in my eyes and are pieces of history being passed down throughout the years. I do not have any traditions or ways of doing things that may seem strange or cruel to other people. I am not involved in many traditions except for the classic Thanksgiving and Christmas get together. Cultural practices and traditions should not be stopped even if they may seem kind of outdated. Traditions can teach us a lot about a culture, family or even a single person and I think it is important to learn about diversity in this world. Discontinuing traditions can be very sad for some people. Traditions give people someone to look forward to. For example if you are working all year long, Christmas can be something you can look forward to, to show how hard you have been working. You can get gifts for friends, family and coworkers. These cultural practices and traditions can show someone’s personality, likes and beliefs and we should take that away from someone.

Carolyn Gauvin

8/30/2012 08:29:55 am

I completely agree with you when you say that traditions are pieces of history being passed down throughout the years. I also agree when you say that cultural practices and traditions shouldn't be stopped. It's completely true that stopping traditions certainly will upset people. Traditions are a special gift and shouldn't be stopped unless I think it's harming people. People definatly look forward to traditions; I know I do! I have never thought about traditions showing someone's personality, but now that i think about it, they're personality takes a large part in a tradition. overall i completely agree with your response on every level.

Gregg Gonzalez

8/28/2012 12:47:25 am

Traditions are not really a big part of my life. Even though they are passed through generations, my family never really picked any up. The only one i could think of is when my whole gets together and goes on a trip. There are no traditions in my family that include being cruel or strange towards other things or animals. Some traditions have become outdated but some families continue to keep them in their lives. My family doesn't have any tradition like that. The benefits of continuing traditions allows you to feel good in the sense that the family members before you did it. The risks of discontinuing traditions makes you feel different around the time of traditions. Traditions and continuations of them are a big part of someones mind, but not mine.

Oliver Palmieri

8/30/2012 09:05:34 am

Hello, Gregg. My family is the same way. We celebrate no real traditions either. Although the closest thing we come to is getting together for the holidays, but that is boring compared to many other more creative traditions. You also said that some traditions are outdated, and you could not be more correct. It was well said that traditions can become a part of a person's mind, but I think that can be taken a step farther and said their life. Such as when it is a tradition to go into a certain family business. Every thing you stated was well said and am glad you don't hurt animals with weird traditions.

AustinTammaro

8/30/2012 02:13:47 pm

I agree with both of you, traditions to me are a little outdated in some senses. while I also agree that my family doesn't have any really, other than the usual get togethers around the holidays

Kendall Emerson

8/28/2012 08:34:05 am

Traditions are not necessarily a big part of my family, besides certain things we during the holidays, like Christmas, Hallows Eve, Thanks Giving, New Year’s Eve, and of course, Birthdays. Because I don’t participate in a lot of traditional things, I have little knowledge about them. Furthermore, because I don’t participate in them, I sometimes tend to think some traditions can be odd and sometimes cruel. Although, because I travel a lot, I have become accustomed to different cultures and their traditions, even if they are strange and unusual. For example, I know in Bonol, Spain, they have La Tomatina, where people line the streets and throw tomatoes at each other and at their surroundings.
Though this tradition is unusual, and slightly pointless, it’s still a tradition, and I think it should be kept. Yes, throwing tomatoes at people may get them upset and annoyed, but still I think my childish side dis agrees with that. It’s tradition, and it has meaning. If you throw away tradition, it’s almost like scraping away at the culture of that country itself. Traditions make countries unique, and they make them develop a culture that is completely unique to that one country. Its how this world became so diverse in a sense. If we were to take away almost all of the world‘s traditions what would we have left? The countries of the world would be bland, and would have very little diversity. Traditions are an important aspect to our culture, and should only be thrown away if deemed completely necessary. However, I do realize that some traditions should be absolutely thrown away. For example, the lack of rights women have in Iran. Though it is traditional, it is unfair, and extremely wrong. Traditions like these that harm humans I think should be discontinued, for the sake of those affected.

Talitha Johnson

8/29/2012 09:33:34 am

How insightful to notice that not all traditions are, like you said, ridiculous but still fun to participate in. I always think of celebrations when someone says tradition, but 'tradition' also has to do with peoples' rights.

I also agree that tradition does not only keep families close, but entire countries. A country should always keep in touch with their festivities. (ﾉ*ﾟｰﾟ)ﾉ

Minnie Chappell

8/28/2012 08:46:11 am

Traditions are passed down from generation to generation. I think that traditions are what keeps families together, and helps UN know what our ancestors used to do. I don’t have any unique traditions, other then going to my grandma’s house every Christmas. We wake up early in the morning, and all my cousins, aunts and uncles come over to my grandma’s house. We all sit at the dining table, while the grandparents have there own table to talk. We get to bond and play games outside it’s always a blast. On thanksgiving with the Coopers (my guardians) we all cook, play music just the regular thanksgiving stuff. Many people in different cultures do many different times of traditions, some we might think are cruel, or weird but we can not have a say if they should stop them or not. Traditions are what help us learn about culture, and ancestors. To stop a tradition that we practice could be stopping us from learning about our history. Some people think Christmas is disrespectful to their religion, while others don’t notice it. Traditions help keep people motivated in society.

Gaelen Martin

8/28/2012 09:48:30 am

Traditions don't play a major role in my life. On the other hand, there are many traditions within families that aren't always apparent. On Christmas my family always puts up a tree and on Christmas Eve we all open gifts from family. We also get a new pair of pajamas to wear the night before Christmas. These traditions have been around as long as I can remember. On Thanksgiving after we finish the dinner two of my family members, sometimes me, take the wishbone from the turkey and pull it apart. The one person who has more of the bone makes a wish. Over the years, many old family traditions have slowly faded away, but we still have those few.
There are some traditions that don't affect me, but could potentially affect others. Some traditions that aren't related to holidays could be getting on a sports team. Many college level sports teams have a traditional form of hazing to make someone an official member of the team. Many of those traditions are cruel to those who participate.
Discontinuing traditions such as hazing could be beneficial to those who choose to join that team. They won't be put up to potential harm. However, discontinuing cruel/unusual hazing, or cultural traditions can be a bad thing, too. Traditions always remain solid, when so many things can be changing. Getting rid of a tradition entirely could remove the connection a team or culture may have. All in all, traditions do play a part, whether you realize it or not, in everybody's life.

Morgan Lyons

8/28/2012 10:39:58 am

During Christmas, my family does the exact same thing! The night before we open new Christmas pajamas to sleep in! Many of my traditions have faded too, which is really sad, because most of them I really liked. There is just not enough time for all of them sadly.

Allie Schmid

8/28/2012 09:49:30 am

Traditions are a large part of my family's life and they mean a great deal to me. Every Christmas we wake up early, open presents under the christmas tree, eat a large breakfast, then head to a grandparents' house. For Thanksgiving, we go visit grandparents (or they come visit us) and we eat a huge Thanksgiving supper together. My family also upholds a generations long tradition of making lefse ( a flat potato bread product) every fall.

I don't believe there should be laws banning certain traditions that seem odd or outdated to others. People should be free to do as they please with a tradition unless that traditon "forces" people to harm other people. The risk of dicontinuing a tradition is that the followers of that practice may get angry and may do harm to the world around them. The benifit of discontinuing a tradition could be that if it is harmful, obviously, no one gets hurt anymore due to that practice. I can't really think of any downsides to continuing a tradition unlees like I said, if someone is getting hurt, you don't want to continue it. The positive side of continuing a tradition is that it can go on for many gererations to come.

Morgan Lyona

8/28/2012 10:36:34 am

Traditions are a big thing in our lives. You might have many traditions or very few. One of my family’s traditions is going to Hawaii each year. We also drive up to Disneyland at least once a year and have some fun! With my two older brothers and their family, we make sure to do at least one big vacation far away with them too! My family doesn’t have any cruel traditions. Cultural practices shouldn’t be discriminated because religion is a very important part of people’s lives. For example, many Jewish people celebrate Hanukah. Discontinuing traditions can be very sad and a bad thing or it could be happy for you if you didn’t enjoy it. However, starting a new tradition is especially fun if you love doing it!

Marie Miller

8/28/2012 11:15:19 am

I like how you summed this up Morgan! I love Hawaii and I remember when my family used to go there every year when my dad went there for free! I think its good that you include your older brothers into trips. They are part of the family so of course you have to include them too. I agree with you that cultural practices shouldn't be discriminated. Everyone is different in their own ways I think that you should carry on your traditions because they sound really great!

Gregg Gonzalez

8/30/2012 01:39:00 pm

Morgan, I agree with you. My family does sort of the same thing. We always do a big trip and usually always go to Disneyland. We also have the same family traditions that mostly everybody has. I also like how you explained the discontinuing traditions could be sad for some people. You explained very well.

Marie Miller

8/28/2012 11:20:36 am

Traditions are a very big part of my life. It is really what brings families together! In my family, we always go up to Idaho every year to our cabins. All of my cousins come and we just hang out and take our boats out onto the lake all day. Another tradition that my family has is buying season ticket seats to the Padres game. If you know my family, you know that we are the baseball freaks in town. My family really doesn't have any cruel traditions. I think no matter what religion someone has, they shouldn't be treated differently about it. We are all human beings. Just because we might have different opinions, doesn't mean we are different. Traditions are important to carry on, so they can stay for more generations to come.

Minnie Chappell

8/30/2012 11:05:19 am

Marie Miller sounds so much fun! Seems like you get to bond with your family a lot.I also agree with you that no matter what religion someone has they shouldn't treated differently about it. Its true that we should carry traditions on I agree with you hundred percent!

Jake Little

8/28/2012 12:13:07 pm

I think that traditions are something that should be shared, but not forced. Not only to traditions share diversity but they also teach others about others cultures. Other cultures are important to learn about their traditions, because everyday things that you might do might insult their traditions. Given it's not very fair that we don't know about said traditions and if we disrespect them it should be excused with a well remark of a misunderstanding. Never the less the traditions should be continued, just because they might get a bit tedious to explain that's no reason to stop. Traditions are a worth while things to practice and keep your own culture alive.

Shelby Mayes

8/28/2012 01:34:29 pm

Jake, I agree that there is no reason for traditions to be discontinued. It would be pointless to stop something that dates back to generations. I also agree that traditions should not have to be forced onto a new generation but only done if they find that particular activity enjoyable. I like the way this was put. Kudos

Kendall Emerson

8/29/2012 08:42:20 am

Jake, I completely understand your reasoning for wanting to keep traditions, for I want that too. However, what if a tradition requires a human sacrifice? Not to say there is or is not, but wouldn't you say that would be inhumane? Some traditions, I agree, though they border on cruel, should be kept, However, what about something like that? would that be reasonable to keep? I'm just saying this to maybe enlighten your understanding, not to be a little jerk. Though I may sound exactly like one!

Tom Holman

8/28/2012 12:28:24 pm

In my life, traditions are a pretty big deal to my family. Whether it is going to the mountains every winter to snowboard, or having the same food every Thanksgiving; traditions are usually fun and rarely dreaded. Contradictory, to others, a ten hour drive just to a mountain that my family is partial to might seem a bit odd or useless. One tradition that the men in my family participate in is hunting turkeys on my property up in Julian. Some spectators might cry out animal abuse, and find this tradition cruel, I believe it is fun and gives us great bondage.

Culture means the world to some countries, so that gives me the reason to think that some traditions shouldn’t be discontinued. A counter example, on the other hand, could be that they involve torture or some sort of waste to resources. For example, when the Mayan empire sacrificed the virgins, it was obviously not a good tradition, especially for the virgins. Some risks for continuing traditions could be that if someone’s tradition involved limiting resources, killing, or racist actions, they could set a bad example. On the pro’s side, the benefits are and include setting a good example, bonding and teaching about one’s family, and perhaps even starting new tradtions.

Jason Leary

8/29/2012 10:54:10 am

Nice, Tommy. I really enjoyed reading this response. I completely agree with it. It seems like you have a really good time hunting. Also, it does seem a bit silly to go on a ten hour drive. I never new about the Mayan story. Great response.

Savannah Welch

8/28/2012 01:07:20 pm

When it comes down to it, traditions are what make each person different from another. Traditions define parts of our lifestyle, whether it's from cultural traditions (such as specific dances, foods, or outfits) to what you do at home that are your "personal" traditions (such as watching TV every night, or maybe hanging out with friends). For me, traditions factor in with music. I have my own personal traditions, or rituals, that I do when I come home from school, such as practicing piano, or running through songs on the violin. We also fly out to Oklahoma at Christmas, which is our family “get together.” (It’s probably my favorite tradition.)

A tradition that might seem strange to anyone who doesn’t practice it would probably be Halloween. People who don’t go trick-or-treating probably think, “What’s up with kids and their pumpkin carving obsession in October? And why are they running around the neighborhood with a craving for candy?” (Although, I’m sure the majority of the population know what trick-or-treating is.) I think that if a tradition is dangerous and involves risking another person or animal’s life, then it should be discontinued. If that tradition does not break the law, then it should be allowed. Benefits for traditions are that they define us and make us unique. If the court ever decides to ban a tradition, the people who practice that tradition will probably become angry and there might be uprisings, boycotts, or riots. Traditions can be touchy subjects, so best be careful and respect them.

Nathaniel Gehlken (period 2)

8/28/2012 01:10:16 pm

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=492559840771782&set=a.151202484907521.26904.100000533101644&type=1&theater

Nathaniel Gehlken (period 2)

8/28/2012 01:15:23 pm

the link was accidentally...please excuse the comment, there is no need to follow the link.

Well. My family is for the most part not that traditional. We usually don’t do the same things every year, but there are some instances and occasions where we do. One of them is Christmas. We decorate our whole home with wreaths, stockings, garland, and more decorative items everywhere. My family really enjoys Christmas and the feeling of winter. We go up to Julian when there is snow and enjoy every part of it. My Mom, Sister, Brother, and I enjoy fall and winter more than spring or summer. Actually the four of us don’t enjoy warm weather at all. We embrace the cold, the storms, and the rain, and we enjoy power outages. We make the most of winter, and try to keep the feeling going until the very end of winter. We don’t take the decorations down until winter is over.
Fall. Fall is an amazing time of year when there are scents and smells and you get to gather with your family, light the fireplace, and relax and read and enjoy the storm just outside your window. My family really enjoys fall and Halloween as well. We don’t enjoy the trick or treating or costume part as much as we do the more traditional, where it’s more relaxing at home and making different foods and celebrating it. My Mom, Brother, Sister, and I usually dim the lights, gather around the fireplace, drink cider, bundle up with a blanket and relax and read scary stories. We’ve been doing it since I was around five so I really enjoy it. Those are two traditions that I have in my household.

zach pyne

8/29/2012 07:25:13 am

hahaa

Sydney Althof

8/30/2012 11:49:13 am

How insightful Nathan I totally agree with your ideas.

Shelby Mayes

8/28/2012 01:23:57 pm

Traditions are something that becomes like a specific annual routine. I don't have many traditions within my family. But a tradition I had when I was younger was: every Christmas Eve my brother, my sister, and I would open one present under the tree. We would always find joy out of opening one of the many boxes under the tree and it was like getting a taste of what was to come for the next day. We've done this every year for as long as I can remember.

Other countries probably have traditions that are very different from ours, making some of our traditions appear strange to them and some of theirs appear strange to us. A tradition that may seem strange to other countries is our fascination to watching super bowl commercials. This may seem weird because other countries don't even really watch football like we do, and some of us only watch the game to see the amusing commercials. Just because a tradition seems unusual to you doesn't mean it should be eliminated exactly. But if it's offensive or discriminatory it should be discontinued as soon as possible. There are no real benefits to discontinuing a tradition because it is something that was important to you, and had run in your family. A benefit to continuing a tradition is that you and your family as well as future generations to come have something to look forward to.

Jarret Osmialowski link

8/30/2012 09:43:56 am

I agree 100% with you Shelby. Traditions should be continued. In our country, and others. I enjoyed reading about your Christmas tradition. A tradition is important for keeping families and people together, and they are important.

Hannah Monroe

8/28/2012 02:21:50 pm

Traditions may be very important to some people, but within my family we have very few and none that are a huge factor in my life. Most of the traditions we do have are annual and are on holidays. For example, my brother and I open one Christmas present on Christmas Eve every year. We also usually go to one of our cousin's house. These traditions are nothing huge, but my family looks forward to enjoying them each year.
Every country probably has or had at least one tradition that others from a different country or area see as strange, foolish, or even cruel. Foot binding, human sacrifice, and cruel execution methods are all things that are (for the most part) in the past. However, some traditions that are practiced today can be strange to people who do not partake in them. "Hell Week" for navy seals, hazing people that are new in a group, or even football could be considered strange to others. For example, other countries might think of Americans as idiots for supporting a sport where two team try to crush each other. But that's just them. In my opinion rugby is a foolish sport to play where you're sure to be severely injured, but that's just me.
Some traditions date way back and are very important to the culture to which they belong. However, if these traditions are discriminatory or offensive in any way they should be discontinued. Foot binding was a major tradition in ancient China, but is discontinued today because of how cruel the procedure and outcome were. The benefits of discontinuing cruel traditions are human and animal safety.Some risks of discontinuing a tradition are angering the people that practiced that tradition and altering their lifestyle.

Imani Ware

8/30/2012 03:10:08 pm

I agree with you. Rugby is a brutal sport and I don’t understand it, but I guess that is what other countries think of football. And also, the extremely cruel traditions in other places are horrifying. I am glad they discontinued the rituals and I am glad that the United States did not do that. However, we did have horrible things, like tar and feather people, hang people, and if you were believed to be a witch, you were forced to drown in a river or will be shot if you come up for air (unless you can could hold your breath for a really long time). I am happy that those were discontinued, and Hannah, no matter how big or how small your traditions are, they would always have a place in our heart.

Imani Ware

8/28/2012 03:37:33 pm

Traditions are great to have because I think it is always good to do some things over and over again, to have something to look forward to, like Christmas or Thanksgiving. Having a tradition with your family lets you bond and have fun together. Every two years my entire family has a Family Reunion. We spend a week in a state with the original 13 Wares (including my father), their children, and their children's children. My whole family from my father's side is quite large, that is why it is so big and important to me.
Some of the United States' traditions encourage everyone who is a U.S. citizen to participate, like voting for political leaders. However, some do not vote, which is very strange because voting for a president will decide whether they keep their rights or not. Voting is a privilege and they should embrace it. Also some cultural practices, like hunting for sport should stopped because unless we actually use the animals for a good cause, the animals should not die for pleasure or money. The benefits of continuing a tradition is that you know you will continue it for a long time, unless you don’t like your tradition(s), you know you will have a great time every time you celebrate your long-lasting tradition.

Daly Brister

8/29/2012 07:42:16 am

I agree with you about the importance of traditions, Especially in families.It's important to stay connected with your roots. Traditions are a wonderful way for families to stick together in special way.Traditions are a way to add security within the family. So that no matter what happens or how many differences you have, You'll always share that tradition with one another. I also agree that people should take part in thier patriot duty because, no matter what you do or who you are you should show respect for your country.

Allie Schmid

8/29/2012 02:57:54 pm

I completly agree with you! When I think of a tradition, I think of fun, family bonding moments that may last hours or days. I always look forward to my family traditions as a chance to get to know the people I care for and cherish a little bit better.

Like you, I find it odd that people wouldn't vote for president. The president is the person that will be leading our country either towards greatness or downfall. What also caught my eye about your blog was your hunting statement, and I agree with you on that as well. Animals should not be hunted for money or simply pleasure. Every fall, my dad, brother, cousin, uncles, and grandpa go deer hunting. Now before you think... What? This person just said that they agreed that animals shouldn't be hunted for pleasure or money, but their family memebers go hunting?... The men of my family hunt in areas of Wisconsin that if people didn't go in and hunt, the population of deer would increase dramatically in a short period of time. This would mean a destruction of the ecosystem. And the meat we get from the deer feeds my family for about 6 months (so it doesn't go to waste). In all, your blog made an excellent point. Great job! :)

Hannah Monroe

8/30/2012 02:28:15 pm

I agree that traditions can be very important to some people. Seeing how all of my classmates lives are affected by their traditions makes me wish that I had more traditions in my life. I also agree that traditions should be continued if you know that it will be preserved for a long time and brings everyone joy and happy memories.

zach pyne

8/29/2012 07:24:29 am

my family dosent have alot of tradidions but we all go down to my grandmas house for christmasand other holidays but we dont have any more

Tom Holman

9/1/2012 05:00:14 am

Good job Zach. I really agree with you when it comes to not having a lot of traditions during holidays except for Christmas and sometimes Thanksgiving. We used to celebrate wìth my grandma before she passed away. All my dads brothers and sisters and my cousins would go up to pasadena

Talitha Johnson

8/29/2012 09:26:04 am

When I was little, I lived in Iceland. One of the traditions instead of Christmas is 12 trolls will come to your house, one on each of the twelve days before our Christmas. Each one puts a present in your shoe that you put in the window. They all have strange names like Door-Slammer and Spoon-Licker. Supposedly they do those things as well as give you presents. That part in itself is strange but there's also a cruel part to it. Originally, it was the trolls' mother and her giant cat that came to your house. There wasn't a really good side, like getting presents, about her visits. But if you were naughty or even unhelpful around the house, the cat would drag you out of your bed in the middle in the night and then they would both eat you out in the snow. A bit more extreme than Santa putting coal in you stocking, I suppose.

Discontinuing this tradition would not make a huge impact on my life, but it would probably make me feel less connected to Iceland.

Nathaniel Gehlken (period 2)

8/29/2012 02:57:24 pm

Let me first say that is incredible that you lived in Iceland, it is one of my favorite places, and one of the first of where I want to go. I enjoy these old traditions where one of the reasons they were created was too make their children behave. Its amazing how well preserved tradition can be, throughout many, many generations. I think it is good to keep old stories and traditions. Over the years, they show how things change and develop.

Sydney Althof

8/30/2012 11:53:09 am

Talitha I really think that this tradition in Iceland you had is an amazing cool traditional way to do things. I am wondering though what really happens if you are unhelpful or uncooperative do you really get killed or dragged out into the snow? I know that sound probably unlikely and unusual but I'm just wondering because that is cool.

Samantha Duncan

8/29/2012 09:34:28 am

When I think about tradition, holidays normally pop into mind, like Christmas, Easter, or Birthdays. Then I realized that traditions are just special things you might do on a regular basis. One tradition I have is visiting my dad in North Carolina every summer. A tradition that my family has is throwing Halloween parties every year. All my family participates in making the food, hanging up the decorations, and brainstorming different games for the party. A tradition I know of that is a little cruel and has gone on for who knows how long is that in high school upperclassmen like to intimidate, or just overlook freshman. The only I reason think it’s become a tradition is because people think that if it’s done to them, then why not do it to the next class of freshman. Everyone has their own tradition, it’s not like you can stop someone from doing what they think is right. If there is a problem with a specific tradition, I think it should be up to the people who participate in the tradition to decide whether they should end it or not.

Cameron Penny

8/30/2012 12:19:15 pm

I never really thought about that, and I totally agree with you about traditions being just little things that you do on a regular basis. Usually I think of holidays as the only traditions that my family has, but it turns out there are a lot more than I thought! I also agree with you when you said that you can't stop someone from carrying out a tradition that they think is right!

Savannah Welch

8/29/2012 09:47:10 am

I've never been to Iceland (but I do like a band that's from Iceland). It's so awesome that you are, though! Also, you're tradition is really interesting. Yeah, I agree that it's not much like Santa bringing coal/presents to your house. Haha

Your tradition reminds me of these books my grandma used to read to me by Jan Brett. It was a story about trolls entering someone's house and trying to steal a mitten or something... I don't remember much about the book, but you you're tradition just reminded me of it.

Jason Leary

8/29/2012 10:48:26 am

I don't know of many traditions that I participate in. I guess one would be that every Thanksgiving and Christmas, my family has a fancy dinner at our house. An example of a cruel tradition would be that the upper class-men of the high school use their skateboards and paddle the incoming Freshman. Although it is wrong and it has not happened to me, it is a bit interesting to hear the lastest news on who got paddled. Outdated traditions can be good and bad. For example, Chivalry I believe it's called, is a great, old tradition to keep. An example of Chivalry is holding a door open for a women. Risks could be that there are better ways of doing things, benefits could be that there are still relevant to our society today.

Blake Aull

8/29/2012 01:18:56 pm

Good job, Jason. I also participate in Thanksgiving and Christmas and agree that paddling is wrong but i think it is tradition and it will most likely be continued. I really enjoyed your response. Good work.

Carolyn Gauvin

8/29/2012 10:48:55 am

The "tradition" factor in my life appears in my head as something really important. The traditions that my family and I participate in include the cliché birthday dinners at Il Fornio, watching all of the Olympics, going to church, going to Palm Springs for spring break, and taking a two week trip to Michigan every summer. I think some traditions that everybody participates in that are a little strange are Thanksgiving meals. In my opinion, they’re really festive and a lot of fun because families always come together, but for some reason I think that it’s strange how everyone eats so much as kind of a tradition. For those who don’t participate in this tradition probably think its strange too, however I don’t think they would think it’s cruel. For cultural practices that are outdated and unusual, I think they should be continued because they’re traditions and it would be strange to not continue them, and there’s a special place in your heart for a tradition. However, for a tradition that is discriminating, I would suggest practicing it in a different area or maybe somewhere private so that people who think its disrespectful can’t say anything about it if it’s only within the people who participate somewhere private. The benefits for continuing a tradition are that you get to enjoy something that you do maybe once a year or that you may grow closer with people who participate. The risks are that you may get tired and annoyed with the tradition if you become bored. Also, if there’s some type of family drama going on and, for example, you’re family always meets for Christmas, it may cause more drama and the tradition could end. Overall, traditions are traditions and if you have been doing something every year or every month and you enjoy it, you should continue it because YOU’RE the one who’s involved.

Robert Garner

8/29/2012 11:18:47 am

Traditions have been a factor in my life since I was born. One of the traditions in my life has been an annual rocket at Christmas. Every year we build a homemade rocket and launch it at the beach Christmas morning. It is a fun tradition my family has that I would hope to carry on. Some traditions in the United States may seem cruel or harsh at times. One of these traditions is hazing of students that are entering a sorority or fraternity. They sometimes may put teenagers through mean and degrading ritualistic traditions. We should not stop people from doing certain traditions because they may seem harsh or cruel, because they have the freedom to do this. The benefits of keeping tradition can make people happy and have a sense of order. The risk of some traditions is that you might offend someone.

Jake Little

8/30/2012 02:23:11 pm

Robert you're traditions sound great and your ideas about traditions are totally right-on. There will always be backfires in traditions and I like how you nailed everything and really excluded the terrible ones. This post is truly what I wanted to go for but you expressed in your own words!

Blake Aull

8/29/2012 01:09:30 pm

Traditions don't exactly factor into my life as much as they do in others. My family does have a few traditions, though. Every christmas we go to my grandmas house and spend the week in my mother's hometown of kansas city, kansas. An example of a cruel or unusual tradition is that the seniors and juniors paddle the freshman with their skateboards. These traditions of paddling should not be continued because they can get the seniors and juniors into trouble if someone find out that they paddled freshmen. This tradition should be discontinued because the juniors and seniors could be prosecuted by the parents of the kid who was paddled.

Sydney Althof

8/30/2012 11:55:21 am

Wow, I bet it shouldn't continue as well because of the poor freshman.

Cameron Penny

8/29/2012 03:01:56 pm

My family and I share many traditions. For instance, every Easter we have an Easter-egg hunt with all of my cousins and everyone (young and old) takes part. Also, at Christmas, we go around and look at all of the lights for fun! My aunt traditionally puts on a cookie baking, decorating and exchange day every year around Christmas time!
Although I love the traditional Thanksgiving meal, its kind of strange that we all eat basically the same menu; turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, etc. I also think that it is unusual how we stick a dead, decorated tree in our living room for Christmas.
I think that traditions are evolving. For instance, now people are buying fake trees or potted trees to be more eco-friendly. Traditions are what keep families together and it gives everyone something to look forward to.

megan Ogilvie

8/29/2012 04:17:24 pm

Megan Ogilvie

8/29/2012 04:43:19 pm

Tradition is something that factors hugely into my life. One of my traditions is going back and forth between here and my home in aliso viejo. Without this tradition my family would fall apart. We would never see each other and we would slowly drift apart. If we discontinued this tradition thee only positive outcome would be less stress because of packing each week.

Every Christmas my mom and Imake cookies and we have a cookie party. This tradition was with me ever sense I was 5 years old. If we were to discontinue this tradition then nothing too horrific would happened. In fact it might lighten our financial load a bit.

If certain traditions in the world were to be outlawed or terminated the outcome would be disasterous. For example, I personally pray nightly and if that stooped I would loose my faith and that could be horiddable.

Kate Nichols

8/29/2012 11:24:05 pm

My family does not really have many traditions. Something may stick for a couple months, possibly a year or two, but it'll change eventually. Actually, I think that change has become somewhat a tradition in my family. The only 'tradition' I can think of is that every summer for a while we go up to Lake Tahoe for a week or two. On the subject on what traditions should be continued or not, my belief is that people can believe what they want to believe, and I'll be okay with it. What I'm not okay with is overly racist, sexist, etc. traditions that heavily discriminate, and those should not be practiced "for the sake of tradition." Benefits for continuing traditions means a feeling of connection between several different generations, and possibly a sense of belonging. Of course, like I mentioned above, what's okay awhile ago is sometimes not approved of now. When discontinuing a tradition, there may be some sort of remorse because of the absence of said tradition, but the truth is, is that most likely, a new tradition will soon take the old tradition's place.

AustinTammaro

8/30/2012 02:10:06 pm

My family doesn't really hav traditions, but i definatly feel like traditions are really important in family life. They help bring families together, and keep them tight. I know that when I visited my cousoins for christmas, their family has a tradition of eating tacos for lunch of christmas!

Daniela Ruffo

8/31/2012 06:21:53 pm

I totally agree with you Austin. I do believe that traditions keep family together and and keep them strong. It's another way to stay connected with your family.

Traditions

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