We did it in CA, too. Older friends of the family were addressed as Uncle and Aunt, despite having no blood or marriage connection. Allows properly respectful interaction between kids/younger people and non-family adults/elders. Worked pretty well! Can’t have THAT anymore!!!
Why not just properly address elders as Miss and Mister?
I know, no one does that anymore. Have to use first names all the time.
Not me. I worked hard to get to adult, and I like the titles. That’s the way I was raised.