The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means “a giving up, delivering up, surrendering” and is used in a number of ways in the English language.

• Beliefs or customs taught by one generation to the next, often orally (i.e., the tradition of sending birth announcements).
• A set of customs or practices (i.e., Christmas traditions).
• A broad religious movement made up of religious denominations or church bodies that have a common history, customs, culture, and, to some extent, body of teachings.

Everytime I hear (or read) someone spout “Tradition!” I think of “Fiddler on the Roof” …

A tradition is a practice, custom, or story that is memorized and passed down from generation to generation, originally without the need for a writing system. Tools to aid this process include poetic devices such as rhyme and alliteration. The stories thus preserved are also referred to as tradition, or as part of an oral tradition.   Some traditions were deliberately invented for one reason or another, often to highlight or enhance the importance of a certain institution.Traditions may also be changed to suit the needs of the day, and the changes can become accepted as a part of the ancient tradition.

Traditions were made for a reason, for a particular good at the time the event which led to the creation of it; traditions grow outdated and unnecessary.

 Examples of this can be found in religious culture, for example, Judaism.

Many modern Jews no longer follow the religious tradition of eating kosher foods.  The practice of kosher foods was a tradition developed in a time when refrigeration was unheard of, and therefore, those foods that were eliminated because of bacterial influence that would render the food poisonous became traditionally unfit to be kosher.  A prime example is pork.

Sometimes traditions can do a world of good … and sometimes, traditions can leave one stagnant.