Legacy of Leisure: Passing Down Passions Through Generations

As we get older, we often find ourselves with more free time - and how we spend it can become even more meaningful. With extra hours to fill, many of us turn to hobbies and routines - the things we do for pleasure or because they’ve become part of our routine. But where did we pick these hobbies up and are we passing them on?

To better understand how hobbies and habits are passed between generations, we asked 1,000 UK adults aged 60 and over about their experiences. We found that 59% of those surveyed had picked up hobbies, pastimes, or habits from older relatives. What's more, many are continuing this tradition, with 52.4% reporting they have passed some of their own interests down to younger family members.

At Chums, we want to explore not only the physical and mental benefits of engaging in hobbies, but also how passing down habits can connect us to our past and future generations.

Inheriting Hobbies and Habits

From our survey we found that reading was the most common hobby overall (69.8%), with a gender split of 61.6% for men and 78.9% for women. This was followed closely by gardening (57.4%), walking and hiking (56.3%), and cooking and baking (48.4%). For women specifically, sewing and knitting, and arts and crafts, ranked highly, whereas for men, collecting items and studying history were more favourable hobbies, highlighting the preference differences between genders.

The most popular habit overall was watching the news, chosen by a notable 72.9% of respondents. This was closely followed by reusing old biscuit and chocolate tins for storage, at 72.8%, and reusing old food containers, at 48.4%.

When asked about the reuse of these containers, screws and nails were the most common answer (79.8% ), followed by sewing supplies (54.1%) and spare or loose keys (30.8%)

The habit of reusing biscuit tins and food containers is nothing new. It dates back to the Victorian era, when advances in manufacturing made elaborately decorated biscuit tins a common grocery shop staple. This meant that the tins were often used as household decoration, long after the contents had been eaten. Some tins were even purposefully designed to have a secondary use, like the Pillar Box biscuit tin designed by Barringer, Wallis & Manners to be reused as a money box.

Turning off appliances at the wall, always cooking at home, and reusing old food containers were also chosen as common habits from our survey. Maybe not surprisingly, the practice of tinkering with cars or electronics proved to be a lot more popular with men (38%) than with women (7.6%).

Old Wives’ Tales

Habits are routines or actions we perform repeatedly, often without conscious thought, as they have become so ingrained in our daily lives. Chances are a lot of these habits can be traced back through generations and may even be the result of an “old wives’ tale”.

Always turning off appliances at the wall ranked highly in our survey, with 63.1% of our respondents having this habit. While turning off appliances at the wall is undoubtedly a sensible practice, both as a safety precaution and to save energy, the more far-fetched claims surrounding this habit, like it’s guaranteed to make appliances last longer, may stem from older and more traditional beliefs. Likewise, trying to smile more, a habit which 21.2% of our survey participants have, could potentially be linked back to the saying “If the wind changes, your face will stay like that.”, used to discourage children from pulling faces or pouting.

We spoke to Eloise Skinner, an author and psychotherapist, to gain more insight into how old wives’ tales may influence the habits our survey respondents picked up from older generations.

When asked if repetition of old wives tales could lead to developing habits, Eloise said, “I think this certainly could be the case - repetition of any information can lead us to adapting our behaviour, and adapted behaviour over time can strengthen into a habit.“ She goes on to say that since many of these tales relate to health and wellbeing, they often prompt us to change our behaviour in hopes of improving our lives. The more these behaviours are repeated, the more likely it is that a habit is formed.

Passing Down Memories

To further explore the sentimental impact of inheriting pastimes, we asked respondents if they had any fond memories associated with their hobbies and habits.

A 71-year-old retired woman from the West Midlands, who inherited hobbies and habits and also passed them down, said: "I can remember standing beside my grandmother in her kitchen while she taught me how to make some traditional recipes." She also inherited knitting needles from an older relative and continues to make old family recipes.

A 63-year-old woman from the East of England, who believes she both inherited and passed down hobbies and habits, has a fond memory tied to a common habit: "My grandma showed me that I can reuse biscuit tins for almost everything too. She inherited that from her mum and in turn they got that from her mum too, so it’s a tradition for me." She also inherited a collection of fridge magnets from her parents, which inspired her to continue buying them on holidays.

A 76-year-old retired man from the South West, shared how his hobby connects him to the past: "My classic cars help me relive my younger days. Nowadays, because I have back and mobility problems, I can get under a car to do some work and realise that I cannot get back out. I laugh at myself as I struggle out. It is worth it though." He also inherited his mother's mixing bowl and uses traditional recipes.

Just Do It: Hobby Advice

In our survey, the majority (47.6%) of respondents over 60 engage in their hobbies and pastimes daily, while 39.5% do so once a week. According to the NHS, older adults (those aged 65 and over), should aim to engage in some type of physical activity every day, even if it’s just a light activity, such as vacuuming the house or making the bed. Depending on fitness levels, at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise is recommended. These can include activities such as hiking, swimming, riding a bike, and playing sports.

Participating in hobbies is not only beneficial for physical health, but can also have a positive impact on mental health. 96.5% of our survey respondents find their hobbies and pastimes contribute to their overall wellbeing, with 82.1% claiming they help them stay physically active, and 95.6% finding they help with mental clarity and stress reduction.

We asked our survey participants what advice they would give to someone looking to start a hobby or pastime later in life. The most common response was to “just do it”, essentially put your concerns aside and give it a go. Other recommendations included choosing something enjoyable that will keep your brain and body active, with many highlighting the social aspect of starting a new hobby, suggesting joining a club that brings together like-minded people of varying ages. The more practical advice recommended researching the hobby before fully committing - taking into account potential costs, necessary equipment, and the level of physical activity involved.

A Hobby Guide

As 42.5% of respondents have taken up or plan to take up a new hobby after 60, we’ve created a guide to the most popular activities they shared - to help inspire your next pursuit.

Reading (Book Clubs)

How to find a book club

Many libraries run regular book clubs or meet ups. However, you can also find local book clubs using The Reading Agency's Book Club Hub online search feature.

How to set a book club up: 

The National Literary Trust has a 10-step plan on how to start a book club. This includes tips on how to structure the club sessions, good questions to ask, and topics to discuss.

The benefits of reading: 

• Can reduce stress 
• Can provide an escape 
• Can help develop empathy for others 
• Can prevent memory loss

Walking and Hiking

How to find a walking club: 

The Peak District National Park offers guided walks with the National Park Rangers. The walks run throughout the year and include, looking for mountain hare, navigation skills training, and a history walk. Alternatively, you can find Ramblers groups local to your area through their online search feature.

Suitable clothing: 

Ramblers recommend trusty footwear , base layers, waterproof trousers , a pair of gaiters (a fabric guard that prevents water and dirt from entering your shoes and trousers ), and walking socks.

The benefits of walking:

• Can build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier
• Can improve brain fatigue 
• Can help reduce anxiety and depression

In our survey, we asked whether any special clothing is required for respondents to engage in their hobbies. Of the respondents, 26.7% answered yes, and among them, 53.9% said functionality was the reason. Other popular reasons included comfort and safety. Swimming was also mentioned as a common activity that requires special clothing.

Our survey has shown it’s never too late to pick up a hobby or return to something you’ve always loved. Engaging in pastimes is a great way to boost your mental and physical health, and passing them down through generations helps keep meaningful traditions and family stories alive.

At Chums, we believe that passing on these hobbies and habits is a wonderful way to bring people together through shared interests. That’s why we’d love to hear from you. Share your own inherited hobbies or habits with us using #TeachingHobbyHabits on Instagram or Facebook.