Celebrations seem loose and fun. How can you call Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day and New Year’s ‘rituals’? Rituals are for religious exercises or displaying cult fetishes; rituals are for diets. Yet cultural celebrations are rituals, competing with the best of historic Roman and Greek religious celebrations and Chinese New Year. When you think about it, even birthdays have a a ritual. Getting married is a ritual. Even governments have rituals called elections – even if they don’t work very well.

Rituals are celebrations of a special kind that focus on success, perpetuity, continuity and stability. The simplest group ritual is saying Grace at mealtime. The act requires full participation, religious and cultural acceptance and a promotion of continuity.

Stepping back to a broader view, rituals are a type of social calendar that celebrates success at surviving. Even scary Halloween at one time was a celebration of an enduring past by welcoming the dead to return for the celebration – or maybe Easter has the same tone: Welcome back, Jesus! We’re still here!

In 2025, the entire world is in a state of disarray. This is a dangerous situation for rituals that depend on sustainability. We must step forward, as we do for other troublesome issues; we must step forward to make sure we support our social rituals.

To do this, have an attitude that looks forward to ‘the holidays’. Be sensitive to the core value of that holiday and what it means. Look for that warm, cooperative feeling that celebrations exude. If only remotely possible, personally participate.

Yes, even Groundhog Day, cloudy or not.

Ancient Mariner