Are they dying out in your house too?
Christmas traditions are dying out, so we take a look at which ones we have lost sight of and why.
It would appear that researching for, shopping and wrapping gifts has taken over a lot of these traditions. It is quickly making many of the things our parents and grandparents used to do at this time of year obsolete.
Major Val Mylechreest for The Salvation Army, which commissioned the study, said: “It’s hard to ignore that when winter comes around there’s a huge emphasis on buying presents.
‘’Even from October we start to see decorations and ads on the high street pressuring us to prepare for Christmas.
‘’Though giving and receiving presents can make us feel great, it would be a huge shame to let the old traditions disappear due to shopping taking over.
‘’Taking a step back from wrapping gifts means we can really appreciate the time we have with family and friends at this time of year.’’
Christmas Traditions that are dying out:
Midnight mass- Leaving the house at bedtime to go out to a drafty church seems to have lost its appeal. For those with young children, parents need all the sleep they can get. And for those who don’t, they often want to relax with an alcoholic drink by the fire.
Carol singing- This really goes hand in hand with church; a lot of the hymns that were enjoyed in midnight mass were extended to carol singing, but with fewer going every year, there is less of a desire to take church carols to people’s doorsteps.
Greetings cards- With a quick text, a swift email or a Facebook message, why spend money on cards when you can send your well wishes the modern and free way?
Turkey Dinner- So many people have intolerances to foods or are turning veggie, so the stuffing, meat and milky puds are the last thing these folk need. Some people simply do not like a traditional roast anymore and would rather settle for something else.
The Queen’s Speech- With so many other things on TV- this is no longer something you break for in the day. Some people also have their meals later, meaning they miss it due to eating.
Seeing relatives- Some believe that a quick phone call or sending presents and cards with other people is enough to say they have made the effort with their family.
Christmas markets- With supermarkets catering for your every need, there is less of a requirement to go traipsing around busy markets for that potential one off piece. Getting everything under one roof is seriously impacting events such as these.
Volunteering for charity- People don’t feel they have the time to do this at Christmas, with gruelling work schedules to prepare for the time off, presents to buy, meals to plan and houses to decorate, what time is left for anything else?
Pantomimes- The expense can put some people off, when money is hard to find and if the weather is bad, people just want to stay in not head of the town or the city.
Neighbour's well wishes- In a world where people communicate electronically, gone are the days where you chat with your neighbour over the fence to wish them a happy Christmas.
Santa’s grotto- Why go and see Santa when kids can just send him a letter? He already knows what they want, right? Surely a tweet or text will suffice rather than actually queuing to see him?
Ice Skating- People tend to shy away from any form of exercise at Christmas, they just want to snuggle up and eat chocolate, so going out onto a freezing block of ice, only to fall over and bruise their behind, doesn’t sound like the best idea.
Board games- Why play an actual board game when you can do it on your phone, tablet or console?
Major Val Mylechreest asks you to rethink your Chrsitmas habits and find time to consider those who can't afford to worry about shopping; “It’s easy to become immersed in all the hustle and bustle of the modern-day Christmas.
‘’But this time of year should also provide a reason to help others who aren’t in a position to go shopping.
"We can do this by reaching out to our community and helping those in need as well as focusing on family and friends.’’
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