Millennials are known for shaking things up, and that started to include age-old traditions. Their fresh views and lifestyle choices have been transforming how we celebrate and honor many traditions. Here are 20 ways millennials are ruining classic traditions.
Letting Go of Formal Dress Codes at Weddings
Brides writes, “Casual wedding attire is clothing that’s comfortable and easy to dance in—nothing fussy or over the top.” Millennials like to dress casually, ditching formal clothes for something more comfortable. They prefer a relaxed vibe, which is different from the traditional, formal dress codes we’ve seen at weddings for years.
Skipping Church Weddings
Lots of millennials are choosing non-religious places for their weddings, like gardens, beaches, and historic sites. Spots like these have become incredibly popular, even though it’s meant moving away from traditional church weddings. The focus is more on personal meaning and look, rather than religious customs.
Redefining Work Hours
You may already be aware that more millennials prefer flexible work hours over the old 9-to-5 routine. Millennials especially value a work-life balance, so they’re moving away from strict office hours, giving them much more freedom. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, this shift now often includes remote work, completely transforming the usual workday.
Choosing Experiences Over Stuff
Something that’s popular among millennials is that they usually like to give and get experiences rather than stuff. They love things like concert tickets, travel vouchers, and adventure activities and see it as something that’s much more exciting. This shift is a break from the old way of giving gifts, which focused on physical, often sentimental items.
Celebrating Digital Birthdays
Nowadays, people usually send birthday wishes on social media instead of in person or with cards. This shows how much technology has changed how we interact, making old-fashioned birthday traditions seem outdated to younger people. It’s a great way to send birthday wishes if a person can’t be with someone on the day.
The Decline of Traditional Funerals
Something that may sound surprising is that more people now prefer personalized memorials instead of traditional funerals. Millennials like celebrating a person’s life in a way that shows their unique personality and interests, rather than having the somber, standard ceremonies of the past.
Replacing Family Recipes with Meal Kits
After a day of work, millennials often choose meal kits or food delivery instead of cooking family recipes. If you have a full-time job, the last thing you want to do after finishing work is cook a complicated meal. This convenience is starting to change how we pass down cooking traditions, altering family mealtime habits.
Opting for Digital Invitations
Thanks to the rise of technology, paper invitations are fading as millennials prefer digital invites for events. While this trend shows their eco-friendly attitude, it can often be viewed as impersonal and marks a move away from the keepsake value of traditional invites.
Modernizing Holiday Decorations
Ask any millennial and they’ll tell you traditional holiday decorations are out and minimalist, trendy designs are in. This younger generation is opting for sleek, modern décor instead of the classic, ornate styles. This change shows a broader trend toward simplicity and personal expression in how we celebrate the holidays.
Hosting Virtual Gatherings
If you’re part of a large family, then you’ve probably already experienced having an online get-together, especially during the holidays. Virtual meetings are handy and include everyone, but they still miss out on the face-to-face connection of traditional celebrations and it’s a change that’s affecting how we experience and remember holidays.
Preferring Small, Intimate Celebrations
It turns out that large, extravagant parties are less appealing to millennials, who often prefer smaller, more intimate gatherings. This trend reflects a desire for meaningful connections over grandiose displays, altering the scale and style of traditional celebrations.These celebrations can include anything from birthdays to weddings; less always seems to be more.
Reducing Emphasis on Traditional Roles
Society’s perceptions are changing and this means millennials challenge traditional gender roles in family settings. Household responsibilities and childcare are more equally shared, reflecting a departure from the conventional expectations of previous generations. This shift redefines family dynamics and domestic traditions.
Choosing Sustainability Over Tradition
One thing worth noting is that environmental consciousness often leads millennials to prioritize sustainability over tradition. Eco-friendly practices, such as reducing waste and using sustainable products, are incorporated into celebrations, altering the way traditional events are planned and executed.
Customizing Graduation Ceremonies
It seems that personalized graduation ceremonies are gaining popularity. Millennials value unique, memorable experiences over standard, formal events. This customization trend changes the way academic achievements are celebrated, making traditional ceremonies feel less relevant.
Embracing Minimalist Lifestyles
People don’t want to be flashy and extravagant anymore, and a minimalist approach to life is favored, impacting how millennials celebrate holidays and special occasions. This preference for simplicity and less materialism contrasts sharply with traditional customs that often involve elaborate decorations and numerous gifts.
Ditching Traditional Gender Reveals
Most people don’t realize that many millennials skip gender reveal parties, viewing them as unnecessary or outdated. This shift reflects a broader trend towards more inclusive and less stereotyped ways of celebrating pregnancy and birth, challenging long-standing baby shower traditions.
Hosting Themed, Non-Traditional Weddings
Something that very rarely used to happen was themed weddings, which reflected personal interests or hobbies. However, millennials enjoy creating unique, memorable experiences rather than adhering to traditional wedding norms. This trend highlights a move towards personalization in major life events.
Prioritizing Digital Photo Albums
Many people view it as a shame that physical photo albums are now often replaced by digital ones. Millennials store and share memories online, valuing the convenience and accessibility of digital media. This practice alters the way memories are preserved and shared, diverging from the traditional, tactile approach.
Reducing the Focus on Home Ownership
Largely due to the economic circumstances at the moment, many millennials are less focused on buying homes, preferring to rent or invest in experiences. This trend reflects changing economic realities and lifestyle preferences, impacting the traditional view of homeownership as a key milestone in life.
Redefining Family Vacations
Nowadays, it seems family vacations are increasingly planned around unique experiences and adventures rather than traditional beach or theme park trips. Millennials seek authentic, immersive travel experiences, changing the way family vacations are perceived and organized.
Up Next: 18 Reasons Why Men Get Grumpier As They Age
You might read this and be able to relate, or you may feel you’ve become grumpier the older you’ve gotten. Or maybe you know of a male friend or relative who has. Here are 18 reasons why men get grumpier as they age.
18 Reasons Why Men Get Grumpier As They Age
17 Products Millennials Refuse to Buy and It’s Affecting the Economy
Millennials have been the center of so much media attention due to their spending habits. Their unique ways of spending have built up and crushed many traditional industries. In this article, we look at 17 things millennials stopped buying and how that has impacted society.
17 Products Millennials Refuse to Buy and It’s Affecting the Economy
Where Even Truck Drivers Won’t Stop
Truck drivers tend to be hardy souls—well-seasoned travelers who aren’t often afraid to rest up or refuel in risky locations. However, there are certain U.S. locations that even the most road-weary trucker refuses to stop at for fear of criminal activity or natural dangers. Here are 17 such locations that even experienced truck drivers approach with trepidation (or not at all).