Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down The Silliest Traditions They've Ever Witnessed

People Break Down The Silliest Traditions They've Ever Witnessed
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

You ever wonder how something becomes a tradition?


Short of looking up the historical or cultural significance of soemthing, it's more fun to wonder with a bitter edge, "Why do we keep doing this stupid thing?"

Reddit user, u/alskjdhf, wanted to know what we probably shouldn't be celebrating when they asked:

What is the dumbest tradition?

Some traditions and traditional ways of doing things are already going the way of the cranberry jello molded salad around the holidays, as people begin to break the veil.

We Don't Have To Do What Everyone Else Wants

"a lot of dating sh-t honestly"

nikehead64

"Yep. I remember telling the man who would become my husband that I wasn't going to play those stupid dating games. If he texted me, I wasn't going to wait 3-5 hours to text him back just so he knew I had a life. Fortunately he was on board and there was none of that nonsense."

"But the guy I dated before him was all about it. Hours between texts, never a phone call before 72 hours after a date. Ghosting. It's all so childish. If you like someone, it's okay to let them know. If they can't handle it, move on. There are so many people you guys."

KitchenSwillForPigs

Just Bury Me Softly

"Funerals.. spending a fortune on a coffin/casket just to bury it or burn it.. embalming a body and then doing the same."

Equivalent_Parking_8

"The funeral industry preys on the vulnerable in ways that should be criminalised. Many will actively try to guilt you into literally burning more money to "show respect" to the loved one you just lost."

"My instructions are going into my will. Pick the actual cheapest casket. No flowers. No ceremony. Ashes in a cardboard tube for scattering. A low-key wake at a separate establishment, for all my friends and relatives to remember me and DANCE."

notmyprofile23

Ruining The Spirit Of The Holiday

"Going into debt to buy everyone in your family christmas presents because you have to"

Maltedmilksteak

"Ugh this is my husbands family. They're so nasty and compete trying to buy the most expensive thing. I grew up in a really poor family, and often Christmas gifts where secondhand, homemade, dollar store type of presents and we always had so much fun. We baked cheap cookies and everyone played games and sang songs and just had fun."

"My in laws are cold, fight over everything, FREAK if I turn a Christmas show on for the kids. One Christmas My MIL put all of the gifts we got her (they were not expensive, my husband and I where just married and getting on our feet), put them in a box, and gave them back saying she didn't want any of this "junk" lmao. We don't talk to that side of the family anymore thankfully. I just don't get it."

Spoonloops

Every tradition needs to get off the ground somewhere, celebrating something that needs to be celebrated.

It's when that tradition sometimes, in horrifically tragic circumstances, kills people that you should probably question what you're doing.

Maybe Don't Start Fire To Anything?

"Gender reveal."

NUMBerONEisFIRST

"I feel like this is new enough that if nipped in the bud it can be regarded as some weird trend like fidget spinners rather than a tradition."

MagicBez

Don't Go Along With The Flow

"Voting a particular way 'Because my parents vote that way'"

Xertheria

"I think same goes for believing in a religion because "My parents believe in that religion too.""

Bloody096

Look At The Fine Differences

"boys will be boys"

"No, being an a-hole and harassing people is still being an a-hole and harassing people."

Woke_Stroke

"My grandma used to say that about us when we used to get really dirty playing outside, so I'm not necessarily sure what you're implying the phrase means."

1VentiChloroform

"Boys will be boys" is often used whenever a boy does something wrong but society writes it off as natural male behavior so they shouldn't be punished for it. I've heard that phrase often whenever a boy would get in a fight or bully someone."

404PancakePrince

Marriage, amirite?

When it comes to the big day, as with all of these, it comes down to what you and the people involved want the most. Don't let others dictate to you what the big day should be like.

Do what you want.

Millennialls Say, "What's Up?"

"Diamond engagement rings"

macaronsforeveryone

"Engagement rings in general. If you want a shiny rock I'm not going to argue. But why do you need to buy jewellery just to announce you're getting married. Especially since marriage includes getting a completely different ring."

"That said if you want a shiny rock research alternatives to diamond. You can get huge synthetic sapphires in beautiful settings for a tenth the price of a tiny diamond if you find the right place to buy it."

bool_idiot_is_true

People Describe Their Best Chance Encounters | George Takei’s Oh Myyy

Seriously. Do What You And Your Future Spouse Want.

"I got married a few years back and I can tell you that at least 75% of wedding traditions are stupid and should be abolished."

"If you're getting married and there's something you're "supposed to do" that you just don't care about, seriously, skip it. You will still have plenty to do and honestly you'll barely remember the day once it's done anyway. It all goes by so fast, it's insane. Ignore everyone else, skip the things that you think are dumb, and just enjoy your day. Absolutely no one will remember if you did that cringey garter dance or threw your bouquet."

"Traditions are just peer pressure from dead people."

KitchenSwillForPigs

The World Is A Big Place. Silly Things Happen Everywhere.

"So we have this tradition in some parts of Lebanon. Once you have your wedding, the bride's male relatives are supposed to 'kidnapp' the groom. The bride should go back to her parent's for 2 nights a night after the wedding."

"Edit: when the priest/shiek asks the bride.. do you take this man as your husband.. the bride should refuse to answer the question twice .. she should answer yes at the 3rd time. As a sign of showing that she's not desperate to marry the groom."

Ghost_Leb

It can feel hard to buck tradition, like maybe you're disrespecting the pressure placed on you by your peers or family. However, with this one life we have to live, shouldn't it be spent doing the things that makes us happy at the times we want to be happiest?

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots from Priscilla Houliston's TikTok video
@the1870studio/Tiktok

Woman Who Bought An Old Church For Under $40k To Live In Explains How She Did It

It's becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to find a home for those who do not already have one or who are in dire need of an upgrade.

TikToker Priscilla Houliston is here to teach us another way: seeking out old churches and other obscure properties that can be re-zoned as a residential home property.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pete Hegseth
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Pentagon Just Banned Press Photographers Over 'Unflattering' Photos Of Pete Hegseth—And The Internet Got To Work

The internet reacted exactly as you might expect after the Pentagon announced it would ban some press photographers from briefings about the Iran war due to their "unflattering" photos of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Here's a silly one, just because.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @italiangirl1130's TikTok video
@italiangirl1130/TikTok

Italian Exchange Student's Reaction To American Host Mom Taking Him To Olive Garden Is An Instant Classic

A joy that not nearly enough people get to have during high school is hosting an international student who comes to visit for either one semester or perhaps even an entire year to experience the world and the educational system from another country.

Tiktoker Rhonda, who goes by @italiangirl1130 on the platform, currently has the pleasure of hosting Alessandro, and her family has already filmed a variety of antics on the platform, trying to give the teen the best American experience they can.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @ali.fragster, @pluto_theservicedog, and @thatflippingagent's TikTok videos
@ali.fragster/TikTok; @pluto_theservicedog/TikTok: @thatflippingagent/TikTok

Woman's Video Shooing Kid At Disneyland Away From Her Service Dog Sparks Heated Debate

A massive debate has taken over TikTok about who needs to be protected, children or service dogs or both, and it all started with a video taken at Disneyland.

TikToker @pluto_theservicedog frequently posts videos of her travels with her service dog, Pluto, and she also creates informative videos about how the general public should interact with service dogs.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hudson Williams (left) and François Arnaud (right)
Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty Images; Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

'Heated Rivalry' Stars Call Out The Show's Toxic Fans And Their 'Hateful Love' With Blunt Statement

Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and François Arnaud took to social media to call out hateful comments from some of the show’s fans.

Both Williams, who plays Shane Hollander in the series, and Arnaud, who plays Scott Hunter, have recently been the targets of a wave of hostile online commentary. Their message addressed viewers who were trying to pit the actors and other cast members against one another.

Keep ReadingShow less