6 Family Traditions That Are Disappearing and the Ones Replacing Them

Some familiar family rituals are fading, but Americans aren’t abandoning traditions so much as reinventing them around how families live today.

1. Sunday Dinner Is Becoming a Flexible Meal

The big Sunday meal used to be a predictable weekly ritual. Today, schedules are looser, but shared meals aren’t disappearing: FMI found 44% of U.S. grocery shoppers still have a weekly mealtime tradition, while 36% eat dinner at home with others every day.

2. Family Recipes Are Going Digital

The handwritten recipe card is losing ground to phones and online searches. In 2025, 52% of Americans said they planned to try new Thanksgiving recipes, with younger generations particularly likely to look online for inspiration.

3. Holiday Cooking Is Becoming a Group Project

The older model often had one person running the kitchen. FMI found older shoppers were more likely to be the primary cook, while younger generations were more likely to help—turning a traditionally individual job into a shared activity.

4. The Big Family Gathering Is Getting Smaller

Huge holiday gatherings aren’t the only way families celebrate anymore. KPMG found 59% of holiday hosts planned gatherings of 10 people or fewer in 2025, while larger gatherings remained common but less dominant.

5. Black Friday Became a Family Tradition—and Then Moved Online

For years, shopping together after Thanksgiving was practically a ritual. Empower found 41% of Americans still consider Black Friday shopping a family tradition, but 65% now prefer shopping online rather than visiting stores.

6. AI Is Entering the Family Kitchen

The newest replacement may be the strangest: asking technology for help with traditions that once depended on relatives. Qlik found 54% of Americans planned to use AI for Thanksgiving planning, cooking or preparation, while 44% still trusted family or friends most for cooking advice.

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