Traditions of North America
Thanksgiving, powwow, Dia de Muertos, the Fourth of July and the Canadian maple season. 165 traditions on EveryParampara so far.
Countries
Cities and towns
New York 38Toronto 19New York City 17Mexico City 16Los Angeles 15Chicago 13Philadelphia 13New Orleans 12Washington 12
On the calendar
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreIslamic marriageنِكَاح
The sacred contract, agreement and wedding celebration forming an Islamic marriageRite of passage · Feasts and festival meals
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreRite of passage
A ceremony that marks leaving one group and entering another, with a new statusRite of passage
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 morePotlatch
A ceremonial feast of gift-giving and wealth distribution among First Nations on the Northwest Coast.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreWedding cord
A loop of white cord laid over a kneeling bride and groom in Catholic weddingsRite of passage
🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreJumping the broom
A wedding ritual where newlyweds leap over a broom to mark their unionRite of passage
🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesJazz funeral
A New Orleans funeral march led by brass music, moving from mourning to joyful danceRite of passage
🇺🇸 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 3 moreWedding reception
The party after a wedding, where the couple greet guests over food, cake and dancingFestival · Feasts and festival meals
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBaby shower
A gift-giving party for a new or expected baby, kept in many countriesRite of passage
🇺🇸 United StatesRehearsal dinner
A meal the night before a US wedding, when the wedding party gathers to toast and thankRite of passage · Dinner
🇲🇽 Tijuana, Mexico and 1 moreBirria
A rich, seasoned meat stew from western Mexico, cooked for gatherings and holidaysTable custom · Feasts and festival meals
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreSweet sixteen
A North American coming-of-age celebration marking a sixteenth birthdayRite of passage
🇺🇸 New York, United States and 5 moreKlezmerקלעזמער
An Ashkenazi Jewish instrumental tradition of lively dance tunes and ritual melodiesPerformance
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreBridal shower
A gift-giving party for a bride before her wedding, best known in North AmericaRite of passage
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreMarriage proposal
A ritual where one partner asks another to marry them, marking the start of engagement.Rite of passage
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreVigil
A purposeful watch of prayer, mourning, or reflection kept through the nightSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇺🇸 Columbia, United States and 1 moreBreastfeeding in public
The custom of nursing an infant openly in shared and public spacesHome
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreLine-crossing ceremony
A naval initiation rite marking a sailor's first voyage across the equatorRite of passage
🇺🇸 United StatesRumspringaRumshpringa
An adolescent period of courtship and social exploration in Amish communities.Rite of passage
🇺🇸 New York, United States and 5 moreBundling
A traditional courtship practice where a couple shares a bed under supervision to ensure compatibility and accountabilitRite of passage
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesBark Mitzvah
A lighthearted coming of age celebration held by dog owners for their petsFestival · Feasts and festival meals
🇨🇦 Toronto, CanadaCalling of an Engineerl'Engagement de l'ingénieur
A private Canadian rite where engineers pledge ethical duty and receive an iron ringRite of passage
🇺🇸 United StatesUnity candle
A modern wedding ritual where two flames join to ignite a single central candleRite of passage
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreSaber arch
A wedding custom where sabers form an arch for the couple to walk through.Rite of passage
🇺🇸 United StatesFlower girl
A young child walking before the bride, scattering blossoms along the wedding aisleRite of passage
🇺🇸 United StatesPre-Cana
Meetings and courses Catholic couples take before a wedding, often called Pre-CanaRite of passage
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreNude wedding
A marriage ceremony where the couple and guests gather without clothingRite of passage
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Rite of passage: Rogier van der Weyden, Public domain, source
- Unity candle: Dvillasmil, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Calling of an Engineer: Joebobfrank, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Jumping the broom: credited only as "Hipstamatic shots, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Potlatch: James Gilchrist Swan (1818–1900), Public domain, source
- Birria: Equipo 9mkt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sweet sixteen: Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest, No restrictions, source
- Klezmer: Unknown artist identified as "M.D.", Public domain, source
- Bridal shower: The McClouds, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Jazz funeral: Photo by Infrogmation, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Islamic marriage: عامر شاہین, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bachelor party: Derek Springer, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Wedding reception: Konstantin Makovsky, Public domain, source
- Pre-Cana: Jebulon, CC0, source
- Wedding cord: Phil! Gold, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Baby shower: Goizarin, CC0, source
- Marriage proposal: Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vigil: unknown master, Public domain, source
- Breastfeeding in public: carlosalbertony, CC0, source
- Line-crossing ceremony: Jules de Caudin, Public domain, source
- Saber arch: Rabe100, Public domain, source
- Flower girl: lil'bear, CC BY 2.0, source
- Nude wedding: Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, source