Secular and civic traditions

Secular and civic traditions are those kept without a religious frame: national days, parades, remembrance days, birthdays, graduations, school and university rituals, sporting customs, workplace habits and the rites of clubs and communities. They give people shared moments and symbols outside any faith, and many have grown over a century or two. EveryParampara includes them alongside older traditions, because a Fourth of July barbecue or a Burns Night supper is as much a tradition as any ancient rite, and is kept with equal feeling.

Nations and communities

National days, flags, anthems, parades and minutes of silence create a sense of belonging. Remembrance of war dead, in poppies, wreaths and the Last Post, is observed by millions. Local clubs, guilds and societies keep their own rituals, from the mayor's procession to the Rotary meeting. Each reflects the history and the values of the group, and many invite the public to attend.

Milestones without a church

Birthdays, graduations, retirements, housewarmings and baby showers are secular milestones, kept with cakes, speeches and gifts. Many couples hold civil weddings and non-religious naming ceremonies and funerals led by celebrants. These customs show how people create meaning and mark time together, and how traditions are made as well as inherited. Some of them are only a few decades old, and already feel like old friends. A tradition begins the first time a group of people decides to do something again next year.

About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Secular and civic (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreMother's Day A worldwide annual celebration dedicated to mothers, maternal bonds and family careHome

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, United States and 1 moreIndependence Day The United States' national day of parades, barbecues and fireworks, kept each July 4Ceremony

🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesKrewe Carnival clubs that stage parades, balls, and pageantry along the Gulf CoastFestival

🇺🇸 New York, United StatesVillage Halloween Parade An annual costumed puppetry march through Greenwich Village on Halloween nightFestival

🇺🇸 New York, United StatesRockefeller Center Christmas Tree A towering spruce lit annually in New York City to mark the start of the holiday season.Festival

🇺🇸 New York, United StatesFlag Day An annual American observance marking the 1777 adoption of the national flagCeremony

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, United StatesSuper Bowl The annual championship game of American professional football, held every February.Game

🇺🇸 Chicago, United States and 4 moreKwanzaa A seven-day African American celebration of heritage, family and community valuesFestival · Feasts and festival meals

🇺🇸 Punxsutawney, United States and 1 moreGroundhog DayGrund'sau dåk A February ritual where communities watch a groundhog emerge to predict the length of winter.Festival

🇺🇸 United StatesLabor Day A national American holiday honouring the working class with parades and picnicsCeremony

🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesPresidents' DayWashington's Birthday An annual American holiday honouring George Washington and the nation's past leadersCeremony

🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesThanksgiving An annual American holiday of gratitude, family gatherings and an autumn harvest feastFestival · Dinner

🇨🇦 Calgary, CanadaCalgary StampedeStampede de Calgary A ten-day July festival of rodeo, racing, and community breakfasts in Alberta.Festival · Breakfast

🇨🇦 CanadaSaint-Jean-Baptiste DayFête nationale du Québec An annual civic and cultural celebration observed across Quebec every June 24Ceremony

🇨🇦 Toronto, CanadaVictoria DayFête de la Reine A Canadian public holiday celebrating the monarch and welcoming the return of summerCeremony

🇲🇽 Mexico City, MexicoMexican Independence DayDía de la Independencia de México An annual Mexican national holiday marking the 1810 uprising against Spanish ruleCeremony

🇨🇦 Canada and 5 moreTartan DayLà an Tartain An annual celebration of Scottish culture, clan tartans, and diaspora heritageFestival

🇨🇦 CanadaThanksgivingAction de grâce An annual Canadian autumn holiday celebrating the harvest with family feastsFestival · Dinner

🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesNational Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation An annual White House ceremony in which the American president spares a holiday turkey.Ceremony

🇲🇽 Mazatlán, MexicoCarnival of MazatlánCarnaval de Mazatlán An annual five-day festival of parades, fireworks, poetry and dance in coastal MexicoFestival

🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesUnited States presidential inauguration The formal swearing-in ceremony and celebrations for a new United States presidentCeremony

🇲🇽 Mexico City, MexicoMexican Revolution DayDía de la Revolución Mexicana A Mexican civic holiday marking the 1910 uprising with parades and public ceremoniesCeremony 🇺🇸 Tahlequah, United StatesCherokee National Holiday An annual gathering in Oklahoma marking the signing of the Cherokee ConstitutionFestival

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBachelor party A send-off for a groom-to-be, kept in the days and weeks before a weddingRite of passage

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBaby shower A gift-giving party for a new or expected baby, kept in many countriesRite of passage

🇺🇸 New York City, United StatesTimes Square Ball A ball of light slides down a pole in Times Square to mark the start of the new yearFestival

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreColumbus Day An annual autumn holiday marking the 1492 arrival of Christopher Columbus in the AmericasCeremony

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreSweet sixteen A North American coming-of-age celebration marking a sixteenth birthdayRite of passage

🇨🇦 Montreal, CanadaMontreal International Jazz FestivalFestival international de Jazz de Montréal A ten-day summer jazz festival filling downtown Montreal with free and ticketed concertsPerformance

🇲🇽 Acolman, Mexico and 1 morePiñata A festive decorated container broken open with a stick to scatter treats and fruitFestival

🇺🇸 Pasadena, United StatesRose Parade A New Year's Day floral parade of natural floats, bands and horses in CaliforniaFestival

🇺🇸 New York, United States and 1 moreEaster parade A festive Easter Sunday stroll featuring stylish clothes and elaborate bonnetsFestival

🇺🇸 New York City, United StatesWest Indian Day Parade A lively Caribbean street procession held every September in Brooklyn, New YorkFestival

🇨🇦 Quebec City, CanadaQuebec Winter CarnivalCarnaval de Québec A midwinter celebration of snow, outdoor sports and caribou in Quebec City.Festival · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇲🇽 Oaxaca, MexicoNight of the RadishesNoche de Rábanos An annual festival of intricate sculptures carved from oversized radishes in OaxacaCraft

🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreJumping the broom A wedding ritual where newlyweds leap over a broom to mark their unionRite of passage

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, United StatesMummers Parade An annual New Year's Day street parade in Philadelphia featuring music and costumed clubsFestival

🇺🇸 Spokane, United States and 5 moreFather's Day A day to honour fathers and fatherhood, kept on many different dates worldwideFestival 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreCyber Monday An annual online shopping observance held on the Monday following American Thanksgiving.Seasonal 🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada and 1 moreStar Wars Day An annual worldwide celebration of the Star Wars universe on May 4Festival

🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreWikipedia Day An annual gathering and birthday party for the Wikipedia community every JanuaryFestival

🇺🇸 United StatesFestivus A secular December observance marked by bare poles, voiced grievances, and wrestlingFestival · Dinner 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreInternational Masturbation Month An annual May observance promoting sexual health, pleasure, and open dialogueSeasonal

🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreLine-crossing ceremony A naval initiation rite marking a sailor's first voyage across the equatorRite of passage

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreArmed Forces Day A civic holiday honouring national military services, their history and active personnelCeremony 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreLGBTQ History Month An annual month of education and remembrance celebrating queer lives and civil rightsCeremony

🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreBanned Books Week An annual autumn campaign celebrating the freedom to read and access challenged booksCeremony 🇺🇸 New York, United StatesBark Mitzvah A lighthearted coming of age celebration held by dog owners for their petsFestival · Feasts and festival meals

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation: Trump White House Archived, Public domain, source
Mother's Day: Dave Parker, CC BY 2.0, source
Kwanzaa: Apavlo at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Calgary Stampede: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day: Montrealais, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Victoria Day: abdallahh, CC BY 2.0, source
Thanksgiving: Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, Public domain, source
Thanksgiving: Lars Plougmann, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Tartan Day: daniel2177, CC BY 2.0, source
Montreal International Jazz Festival: Unknown author, CC BY 2.0, source
Sweet sixteen: Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest, No restrictions, source
Columbus Day: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Mexican Revolution Day: Ute Hagen, CC BY 2.0, source
United States presidential inauguration: The White House, Public domain, source
Mummers Parade: Tyler McHenry at English Wikipedia ( Original text: Tyler McHenry (Thi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Krewe: Tim Ross, Public domain, source
Super Bowl: John Tornow, CC BY 2.0, source
Flag Day: Freekee /Kevin Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree: Praneeth Thalla, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bachelor party: Derek Springer, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Father's Day: Jjsarto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wikipedia Day: Thejoppyloppy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Festivus: en:User:DRosenbach Original uploader was DRosenbach at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Line-crossing ceremony: Jules de Caudin, Public domain, source
Armed Forces Day: Presidential Press and Information Office, CC BY 4.0, source
Banned Books Week: carmichaellibrary, CC BY 2.0, source
Mexican Independence Day: PetrohsW, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Presidents' Day: Alexander Gardner, Public domain, source
Groundhog Day: Anthony Quintano, CC BY 2.0, source
Labor Day: Author not known, but more than 100 years old, Image edited, Public domain, source
Independence Day: John Trumbull, Public domain, source
Rose Parade: Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view, CC BY 2.0, source
Easter parade: Meister der Palastkapelle in Palermo, Public domain, source
West Indian Day Parade: Fordmadoxfraud, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Quebec Winter Carnival: Shapiros10, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Night of the Radishes: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Carnival of Mazatlán: The New Foxy, CC0, source
Piñata: No machine-readable author provided. JEDIKNIGHT1970 assumed (based on, Public domain, source
Jumping the broom: credited only as "Hipstamatic shots, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Times Square Ball: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, source
Baby shower: Goizarin, CC0, source
Village Halloween Parade: InSapphoWeTrust, CC BY-SA 2.0, source