Just my 2 cents:

Perhaps part of what influences some US citizens' tendency to identify/become enamored with other/past cultures is that their (our) ancestors tended to drop their cultural traditions "at the door", partly in an attempt to assimilate into the local society as quickly as possible and partly because they were more intent on survival and some things had to be sacrificed - or at least adapted - for expediency. Their children and/or grandchildren didn't have the "indoctrination" into what had been generations of tradition because their parents/grandparents didn't want the stigma of being 'foreign'. Keep in mind there was a very strong anti-immigrant feeling in the 1800's US for many years. Anything perceived as 'foreign' was strongly put down. (For example, those of us living in the Louisville, KY, area are periodically reminded of the Bloody Monday riots in which at least 22 people were killed in anti-immigrant violence.)

The third/fourth/fifth generation comes along in the early 1900's (when the anti-immigrant feelings were subsiding) and 'discovers' all of this heritage and becomes enamored with it and feels the need to immerse themselves in something they didn't grow up with. Add to this the new immigrants just arriving with all of these things intact and actually looking for reminders of home. Those people blended in 'new traditions' or made adaptations based on what was available. The people in "the old country" who grew up with those customs and the trappings in their everyday lives look on it as people being foolish and/or over-the-top and make fun of those that make mistakes.

I understand that the same kind of thing has happened in Native American communities as well. "New" Indians (those who grew up in 'mainstream' US society but only recently discovered their Native ancestry) come into the community and try to assimilate, but the only "Indian" stuff they know is what they learned from Hollywood. Those that have been living "on the rez" (whether actually on a reservation or living in 'mainstream' society with their heritage intact) don't quite know what to make of them, or scorn their attempts because "they just don't get it".

As I said, just my 2 cents - I'm not arguing for/against anything or trying to antagonize. I'll go back to my little corner now...