15 Facts About Popular Traditions We Learned In 2022.
There are thousands of traditions throughout the world that belong to different cultures, eras, religions, and peoples. Yet, amongst these many traditions, there are some that stand out from the many others because of their peculiarity, strangeness, or disturbing nature.

If your interest is piqued, you’ll love our list. We’ll discuss 15 of the most popular traditions still known or practiced today in 2022. Some of these traditions might be surprising, but you’ve likely participated in each of them or have known someone who has.
1. Greeks Were The First To Blow Out ‘Birthday’ Candles. Greeks offered cakes to Artemis as a birthday ritual, and Romans presented celebratory cakes to non-deities, but only the Greeks incorporated candles into the event. Greek cakes called ammilos were accompanied by candles that symbolized the stars and moon and honored Artemis, the goddess of hunting. The cakes were placed in a temple to Artemis, then the Greeks made a wish and extinguished the candles, “believing that the smoke carries the prayers to the heavens.”
When medieval and early modern Germans started celebrating children’s birthdays (kinderfest), they presented a youngster with a cake in the morning, with candles that stayed lit through the day and were blown out with a wish.
Also during the Middle Ages, English cake-makers placed small tokens in cakes, a tradition comparable to “king cakes” during Mardi Gras.
2. Brides Tossed Bouquets In Medieval Europe To Stop People From Ripping Apart The Bridal Gown. In medieval Europe, it was common practice for single women to chase down the bride and rip keepsakes off her dress, leaving her in bits and pieces of what she married in. A bride did not expect to wear her wedding dress again, and the garment was seen as good luck for single women – a type of fertility charm. However, as years went on, the materials and labor to create a wedding dress became more expensive, making it more traditional for women to keep them.
To create a distraction and prevent guests from ripping the bride’s dress apart, objects were thrown, one of which became the bouquet. Symbolizing fertility, the bouquet was a cheaper option, as the bride would not wish to keep it.
3. The Greeks Were Using The Finger As A Sign Of Disrespect As Early As The 5th Century BCE. When we say giving the middle finger is an old insult, we really mean it. Old as in ancient Greece – 2,500 years ago.
What’s particularly amusing is that it wasn’t a crude gesture being thrown around by just the crass lower class. One of the first recorded uses of the middle finger as an insult was by the Greek philosopher Diogenes – who threw up his middle finger to display his dislike of the orator Demosthenes.
4. Fathers Started Walking Their Daughters Down The Aisle To Make Sure The Groom Didn’t Back Out. Weddings were considered business deals between families centuries ago, creating the idea that marriage was more of a financial decision than anything else. This notion of making marriage a business transaction is what led to fathers being so involved in the ceremonies, as their presence was necessary for things to run smoothly.
According to wedding historian Susan Waggoner, “this custom stems from the days of arranged marriages when a father’s looming presence was a good way to prevent the groom from backing out.” While this is no longer the reason fathers walk their daughters down the aisle, the tradition of doing so has become more of a sentimental thing.
5. Coffins Became Caskets As Part Of A Larger Trend To ‘Beautify’ Death. It might be surprising, but there is a difference between a coffin and a casket, even though these two terms are often used interchangeably. A coffin is six-sided and tapers from the top to the bottom, while a casket is four-sided and rectangular in shape.
In the 17th century, coffins were usually reserved for the wealthy. Many poor families would simply bury their dead in a shroud or winding sheet. Yet, why were caskets invented if coffins are practically the same thing? Caskets began replacing coffins as part of a larger trend to beautify death during the American Civil War.
Many believe that the brutality of the Civil War combined with the utterly tragic scale of death led people to break with traditional rituals and imagery. Coffins were traditionally plain and made of wood, whereas caskets could be decorated and made from a number of materials. The casket was an effort to pay respect to the deceased and distance mourners from death in a more honorable and pleasant manner.
6. Queen Victoria Inspired The Tradition Of The White Wedding Dress. Before Queen Victoria’s 1841 wedding ceremony, it was common practice for brides to wear bright, colorful dresses they could use again for other occasions. The 20-year-old bride chose to wear white to highlight the delicate lace of her gown – contrary to popular belief that it was to signify purity.
Although it was rare, prior to Victoria’s wedding, women wore white on their wedding days to show wealth – indicating the bride’s family could afford to have the dress cleaned. Victoria asked “that no one else wear white to the wedding” aside from her bridesmaids, starting a trend still in practice today.
7. In Some Countries, Their Equivalent Of The Middle Finger Is A Raised Thumb. In some countries – like Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq – giving someone a thumbs up is equal to flipping the bird back in the US. This, of course, creates many sticky situations for American travelers who are just trying to tell the locals, “Good job!”
So if you’re an active traveler, keep that tip in your back pocket when you move around the Middle East.
8. The Tradition Of Wearing Black Is Believed To Date Back To Ancient Rome. For centuries, people have worn black as a symbol of mourning at a funeral and after someone has passed. It is believed that this tradition of wearing black dates back to ancient Rome. Surviving texts from Rome contain the earliest recorded mention of black being used for mourning. The type of black clothing mourners used to wear was known as the toga pulla or “dark toga.”
Later on, this evolved in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance era. Black mourning clothing was worn to signify personal loss and general loss by royals and aristocrats. Additionally, in a few countries in Europe, widowed women were also expected to wear black for the rest of their lives.
The era that saw black mourning clothing become a trend was the Victorian era. After the unfortunate passing of her husband, Queen Victoria went into mourning and wore black clothes every day for 40 years until her own demise. Her choice began the trend, and soon after, many men and women began wearing black after the death of a loved one, with widowed women having to wear black for approximately two to three years.
Black clothing only began to fall out of fashion when the Civil War saw massive casualties. It has since become a tradition that black is usually worn for the day of the funeral and not days after.
9. Bouquets Were Originally Meant To Ward Off Evil Spirits. While it is now common practice for brides to carry flowers as they walk down the aisle, this wasn’t always the case. In the Middle Ages, the bouquet comprised strong-smelling herbs and spices to ward off evil spirits, bad luck, and ill health. Herbs like dill and basil masked the smell of body odor, and were consumed by the bride and groom during the reception because people believed they increased sexual desire.
As time went on, the purpose of bouquets evolved, and it was during the Victorian era that flowers became part of them. Queen Victoria popularized the modern version of the bridal bouquet, carrying a tiny round clutch of flowers in a filigree holder filled with moss and orange blossoms when she married Prince Albert.
10. We Get The Pounding (Pantry) Party From Our Quaker Ancestors. While this tradition might sound a little fishy, it’s probably one of the more practical and useful ones out there. Originating with the Quakers, a pounding party is when friends, family, and neighbors come by to stock the lovebirds with pantry essentials such as flour, butter, and sugar – items given by the pound.
This traditionally Southern version of a housewarming party can take place any time before the nuptials. Nowadays, it’s often combined with the typical bridal shower or wedding shower. Either way, it’s a fun yet practical method for the bride and groom to stock their kitchen before learning how to cook for two!