Celebrations

A number of months ago the juxtaposition of two seemingly dissimilar events—a funeral and a Christmas party—caused me to consider life’s celebrations more closely. What I became aware of was a strange similarity between the two events despite the obvious differences. It dawned on me at that mixture of sorrow and joy some months back that a celebration is a celebration no matter what the nature of the event. If it’s an event worth gathering people together for and stopping the rhythm of life, it’ll probably include many of the same ingredients as all celebrations, though played out in different ways.

It is a bit like the chocolate mousse cake that Abigail made for Father’s day this year. It is a two-layer cake, a layer of chocolate mousse on top of a chocolate soufflé. What’s remarkable about the culinary delight is that the two layers have nearly the same ingredients in the same proportions, but are prepared differently—one is cooked, the other chilled, that’s all. Speaking of cakes, special food may be the most consistent ingredient in most celebrations, whether it be Father’s day, a retirement party, or a recital—but more about that shortly.

Celebration as a word is somewhat flexible. It can denote a merry festive gathering or a solemn religious observation. Broadly speaking, to celebrate, when used intransitively, is to observe an occasion with appropriate ceremony or festivity. Yet, as I embarked upon my ruminations regarding the component parts of a celebration, the word itself grew too shallow for what I observed. An ice cream cone on the way home because you found gas for ten cents less per gallon or an economically driven add campaign could both be dubbed celebrations, but that’s not what I have in mind. These non-social out-of-the-ordinaries are but shadows of what makes a celebration celebratory. What I saw, generally speaking, was observances that had an air of tradition or ritual connected to them—something that invested the component parts with meaning and, at times, symbolism. So for better or for worse, I think what I’m considering is more what one might call Ritual Celebration. In the name I mean both words, ritual and celebration, both broad and specific ways. By Ritual I mean something that is prescribed and repeated, even religiously at times. I understand all traditions to fall into this category. By Celebration, I mean any event that is special enough to set aside time for people to gather. There may be a more appropriate name for what I am considering, but I’m unable to do better at this time.

What are the components? I count five that are native to the fullest expression in every ritual celebration: (1) symbolic costume/decorations, (2) storytelling/ritual words, (3) ritual foods/feasting, (4) music making/dancing, and (5) gift giving. The more elements that are present, the more meaningful and festive the ritual celebration probably is. Think for a moment about the Christmas season—you’ll find decorations, retellings of the Christmas story, parties with seasonal food, pageants and carols being sung if not by everybody at least by the “professionals,” and of course, gift giving. What about a wedding? Symbolic costumes/decorations—white dress, tuxedos, candles, . . . check. Story telling/ritual words—wedding vows, often a sermon about the meaning of marriage, . . . check. Ritual food/feasting—wedding cake, reception, . . . again, check. Music making/dancing—prelude, processional, recessional, father/daughter dance, and more. . . check. And not to be forgotten, gift giving to the newly weds, both in the form of gifts and cards. All right, what about a funeral? Usually flowers, eulogies, receptions, congregational singing, and cards. Again, all the elements are there and many of the components will have symbolic significance just like a wedding. If you go to church on a Sunday morning, especially in a liturgical church that celebrates the Lord’s Supper weekly, you experience ritual celebration in all its component parts. Now, from the sublime to the ridiculous, if you just have to serve pizza and wings in special football-shaped serving bowls that reflect the colors of the opposing teams at a Super bowl party you are expressing some the elements of what I would call a ritual celebration. Add to that the national anthem before the game and the half-time show and you have at least three of the five parts. I could unpack birthdays, national holidays, graduations, showers, or any number of special milestones in life, but I think you can use your imagination.

Where am I going with this analysis? As interesting as it might be to me as an intellectual exercise, does it matter? I believe it does. Celebrating milestones in life can be a meaningful exercise that builds in us gratitude for the past and hope for the future. They become salvation-historic cadences in the music of life that give us a sense of meaning and forward motion to otherwise aimless lives. If nothing else, my analysis has caused me to resolve to celebrate well and with purposeful symbolism, eternal symbolism if possible. So the next time you sing “Happy Birthday,” do it up! Sing it in four-part harmony.