Once I found out a lot of the so called traditions were only made up less than 50 years ago I stopped putting any stock in them at all. And for a lot of traditions once you start looking in to them, they were made up to sell stuff.

[–] Tar_alcaran 15 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

And the ones that are older have been heavily modified. Even what we think of as old traditions are usually remarkably new in how they're done, even if the concept has been around for generations.

When people want "traditional [thing]", what they usually mean is "I want it like it was when I was a teenager".

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Samichlaus, giving presents and Schmutzli with the rod, to punish bad children. When we still had snow in winter.

Btw, Samichlaus and Schmutzli been christianized (though in november, not christmas like american Santa Claus) but it's actually a pagan tradition.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

Santa Claus

Even Santa Claus coming down the chimney to give presents to children got its real start with St. Nicholas sneaking into people's houses in Constantinople to leave bags of gold so the parents wouldn't have to sell their children into slavery.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

As a Scot, there's nothing more disappointing than finding out about the history of kilts.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Can you elaborate? I know very little about the history of kilts

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The modern skirt-like kilt only dates to the 1700s, and the association of particular patterns with clans only dates to the 1800s. Braveheart was BULLSHIT. And they didn't paint themselves blue, either - that was the Picts.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

Thanks!