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.

🇮🇹 Naples, Italy and 5 moreCaffè sospeso An anonymous gift of a paid cup of coffee for a stranger in needTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇬🇷 Olympia, Greece and 1 moreOlympic torch relay The ceremonial journey of the flame from Olympia to each host city of the Olympic GamesCeremony

🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreArbor Day An annual secular observance dedicated to planting and caring for trees around the worldCeremony

🇬🇧 Pilton, United KingdomGlastonbury Festival A five-day summer performing arts festival held on Somerset farmlandFestival

🇬🇧 London, United KingdomChelsea Flower Show A five-day May horticultural festival held in London by the Royal Horticultural SocietyFestival

🇳🇱 Amsterdam, NetherlandsKing's DayKoningsdag A Dutch national holiday celebrating the monarch's birthday with street markets and orange attire.Festival

🇬🇧 London, United KingdomTrooping the Colour The annual British military parade marking the official birthday of the monarch.Ceremony

🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyFesta della Repubblica Italy's national day marking the 1946 public vote to establish a democratic republicCeremony

🇪🇸 Valencia, SpainWater Tribunal of the plain of ValenciaTribunal de les Aigües de la Vega de València A weekly outdoor gathering of Valencian farmers settling irrigation disputes by word of mouthCeremony

🇸🇮 Slovenia and 1 morePrešeren DayPrešernov dan A national celebration of arts and literature observed across Slovenia on 8 FebruaryCeremony

🇪🇸 Barcelona, SpainLa Mercè Barcelona’s main annual city festival, honoring the Virgin of Mercy each September.Festival

🇬🇷 Athens, Greece and 1 moreCelebration of the Greek RevolutionΕορτασμός της Ελληνικής Επανάστασης του 1821 An annual civic holiday of parades and church services marking Greek independenceCeremony

🇬🇧 United KingdomSwan Upping An annual five-day royal census and health check of swans along the River ThamesCeremony

🇱🇻 Riga, Latvia and 4 moreLatvian Song and Dance FestivalVispārējie latviešu Dziesmu un Deju svētki A grand gathering of choirs, dancers and folk artists held every five years in LatviaPerformance

🇮🇹 Florence, ItalyCalcio storico fiorentino A fierce Renaissance ball game played on sand between four Florentine districtsGame 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreBank holiday Official days of rest and financial closure across the British IslesCeremony

🇱🇮 Vaduz, LiechtensteinLiechtenstein National DayStaatsfeiertag Liechtenstein Liechtenstein's national holiday celebrated with castle speeches, bonfires and fireworksCeremony

🇫🇮 Helsinki, FinlandKalevala DayKalevalan päivä A Finnish national flag day celebrating the country's epic poetry and living artsCeremony

🇨🇭 Basel, Switzerland and 4 moreSwiss National DaySchweizer Bundesfeiertag Switzerland's annual national holiday, celebrated with bonfires, fireworks, and lanternsCeremony

🇬🇷 Olympia, Greece and 5 moreOlympic flame A flame kindled in Greece, carried by torch to light the cauldron of each GamesCeremony

🇫🇷 Bayonne, FranceFêtes de BayonneBaionako Jaiak A five-day summer feria in Bayonne featuring parades, dances and white-and-red dressFestival

🇧🇪 Brussels, BelgiumMeyboomMaâbuum An annual Brussels parade and ceremonial tree planting held every AugustFestival

🇱🇹 Vilnius, LithuaniaLithuanian Song FestivalLietuvių dainų ir šokių šventė A periodic national festival of choral singing, dance and folklore in LithuaniaFestival

🇷🇺 Moscow, Russia and 5 moreImmortal RegimentБессмертный полк (Bessmertnyy polk) A civic procession where people carry portraits of relatives who served in the Second World War.Festival

🇧🇪 Mons, BelgiumDucasse de Mons An eight-day festival in Mons featuring a golden carriage and a dragon combatFestival

🇩🇪 Berlin, GermanyGerman Unity DayTag der Deutschen Einheit Germany's national day, marking reunification on 3 October 1990Ceremony 🇺🇦 Ukraine and 2 moreProgrammer's Day A professional day for programmers, fixed to the 256th day of the yearCeremony

🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreYuri's Night An annual global celebration on April 12 marking milestones in space explorationFestival 🇦🇱 Vlora, AlbaniaIndependence DayDita e Pavarësisë Albania's national day on 28 November, marking the 1912 declaration of independenceCeremony

🇳🇱 Wageningen, NetherlandsLiberation DayBevrijdingsdag A Dutch national holiday on 5 May marking the end of German occupation in 1945Ceremony 🇸🇪 Stockholm, SwedenSweden Finns' Dayruotsinsuomalaisten päivä (Finnish); sverigefinnarnas dag (Swedish) An annual day in Sweden for the Sweden Finns, their language and their historyFestival 🇬🇧 United KingdomWorld Osteoporosis Day A global observance on 20 October promoting bone health and fracture preventionCeremony

🇧🇦 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaIndependence Day of Bosnia and HerzegovinaDan nezavisnosti A public holiday on 1 March marking the 1992 vote for independenceCeremony

🇩🇪 Berlin, GermanyRepublic DayTag der Republik The former national holiday marking the founding of East Germany each OctoberCeremony 🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreInternet DayDía de Internet An annual May observance dedicated to digital access, education and online community.Ceremony

🇫🇷 France and 3 moreCashiering A ceremonial military dismissal that publicly strips an officer of rank and insigniaCeremony

🇧🇦 Bosnia and HerzegovinaDay of Republika SrpskaДан Републике Српске An annual civic holiday observed across Republika Srpska on 9 JanuaryCeremony

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreDelphic Games of the modern era Global competitions and exhibitions across the arts, modelled on ancient Greek gamesPerformance 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreHip hip hooray A traditional celebratory cheer of call and response to honour someoneFestival

🇱🇹 Vilnius, LithuaniaLithuania Independence Restoration Day A Lithuanian national holiday on 11 March celebrating the 1990 return of sovereign ruleCeremony

🇱🇻 Riga, Latvia and 2 moreBaltic Pride An annual Baltic festival and human rights march rotating between Riga, Tallinn, and VilniusFestival 🇲🇹 MaltaFestival Kanzunetta IndipendenzaKonkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza An annual music contest in Malta celebrating native songwriting around Independence DayPerformance

🇷🇺 Moscow, RussiaSpartakiad of the Peoples of the USSRСпартакиада народов СССР A massive multi-sport festival that brought together Soviet republics every four yearsGame

🇬🇧 London, United Kingdom and 2 moreOyez A traditional ceremonial call chanted to open court sessions and civic assembliesCeremony 🇬🇧 United KingdomLincolnshire Day An annual county day on 1 October honouring the history and culture of LincolnshireCeremony

🇮🇸 Reykjavík, IcelandReykjavík PrideHinsegin dagar í Reykjavík An annual festival and parade celebrating LGBT+ rights and visibility in IcelandFestival

🇽🇰 Prizren, KosovoAutostrada Biennale A biennial contemporary art festival and cultural exhibition in Prizren, KosovoPerformance

🇽🇰 Gjilan, KosovoFlaka e Janarit A winter arts festival in Kosovo honoring national martyrs through music, drama and verseFestival

Photo credits on this page

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

Olympic flame: RuinDig/Yuki Uchida, CC BY 4.0, source
Delphic Games of the modern era: Achilles Painter, Public domain, source
King's Day: Carmelrmd, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Festa della Repubblica: Anthony Majanlahti, CC BY 2.0, source
Trooping the Colour: Carfax2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Water Tribunal of the plain of Valencia: José Jordan, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo, source
Prešeren Day: Franz von Kurz zum Thurn und Goldenstein, Public domain, source
Olympic torch relay: DieselCat, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Celebration of the Greek Revolution: Stefanos Kofopoulos, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Liechtenstein National Day: Förkle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kalevala Day: Vladimir Menkov, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Swiss National Day: Vincent de Groot, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Latvian Song and Dance Festival: Laima Gūtmane (simka), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Fêtes de Bayonne: Belarra64, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Meyboom: Henxter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lithuanian Song Festival: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Immortal Regiment: Presidential Press and Information Office, CC BY 4.0, source
Ducasse de Mons: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Glastonbury Festival: Czampal, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Caffè sospeso: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0, source
Chelsea Flower Show: Nzfauna, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Arbor Day: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Liberation Day: Wouter Hagens, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Smooth O, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Reykjavík Pride: Helgi Halldórsson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Autostrada Biennale: Lajmmoore, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Flaka e Janarit: E Sadiku, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Yuri's Night: Ryan Somma, CC BY 2.0, source
Cashiering: Henri Meyer, Public domain, source
Day of Republika Srpska: Ministry of Defence of Republic of Serbia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Republic Day: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Swan Upping: Philip Allfrey, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
German Unity Day: Philipp Hertzog Bearbeitet von Dr. Meierhofer (beschnitten, aufgehellt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
La Mercè: larry&flo, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Lithuania Independence Restoration Day: Lithuania Post Office / Scanned and processed by Vizu, Public domain, source
Baltic Pride: IDAHOT, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Calcio storico fiorentino: Stradanus / After Giorgio Vasari, Public domain, source
Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR: Scanning Dmitry Makeev , scan date - 2020 year., Public domain, source
Oyez: Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0, source