Do We Celebrate as One?
What celebrations today quietly reveal about belonging, change, and what people still protect
If you removed every celebration from your year, what would you miss first?
✔ The people.
✔ The food.
✔ The feeling.
✔ The pause.
Celebrations look different across countries and cultures, but they often do the same thing: they interrupt ordinary life and remind people they are part of something.
In 2025, we looked at opinions from 132,654 people on festivals, traditions, and modern celebration habits to understand what people still hold close, what is changing, and what remains surprisingly steady.
Now, it’s your turn!
1. Festivals still matter, not as events, but as emotional anchors
People still attach strong meaning to festivals: 43.8% say they are very important and 30.5% say somewhat important. Only 8% say they are not so important.
That is not nostalgia. That is attachment.
In a busy year, festivals are one of the few socially accepted pauses. They create a reason to stop, show up, and reconnect.
Why this matters:
When life speeds up, meaning does not disappear. It becomes harder to access. Celebrations act like shortcuts back to identity and belonging.
Here’s a question for you!
2. Participation is still high, even if the “perfect ritual” isn’t
Many people still participate actively: 39.4%always and 32.8% often, while 22.6% join sometimes. Only 4.6% say they never celebrate.
This suggests something subtle. People may skip certain steps, shorten traditions, or simplify rituals, but they still show up for the essence.
They are not abandoning celebration.
They are editing it.
No Data Found
Why this matters:
When people keep participating but in lighter ways, it signals that celebration has become less about correctness and more about connection.
Quick question!
3. Celebrations are still centered on family, even in modern lifestyles
When asked who celebrations are about, 74.7% say family, far ahead of friends (9.5%) or community (4.8%). Only 3.7% prefer celebrating alone.
Even with modern individual lifestyles, celebrations remain relational. They are a way of saying: we still have each other.
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Why this matters:
Family is not only a relationship category here. It is the emotional setting where celebrations feel “real.” This also explains why some people feel more distant from festivals when family is far away or complicated.
What’s your take?
4. Food and rituals haven’t disappeared, they’ve become the language of togetherness
Food remains nearly as central as gathering. That is not a small detail. Food is how cultures convert love into something tangible. It is also how families preserve tradition without needing perfect words.
Traditional rituals remain strong too. Over one in five still prefer them.
Why this matters:
Modernity did not erase tradition. It made people choose the parts that still feel emotionally true.
What do you think?
5. What people call “meaningful” is surprisingly simple
When asked what makes a celebration truly meaningful, people chose:
People (22.8%), food (20.3%), memories (18.3%), rituals (13.7%), then gifts and music, while social media sharing (4.3%) sits lowest.
This is a quiet truth: people care more about shared moments than performance.
This is where one clear synthesis helps.
The pattern that emerges, when these opinions are viewed together:
Celebrations feel meaningful when they create closeness, not content.
No Data Found
Why this matters:
It suggests that even in a digital era, people are still looking for experiences that feel lived, not displayed.
Now, it’s your turn!
6. Traditions remain relevant, because they give continuity in a fast-changing life
On traditions, the signal is strong: 57.9% say very important and 33.8% somewhat important. Only 8.3% say not important.
Traditions survive because they offer identity, comfort, memory, continuity, and relationship glue.
They remind people: this is who we are, and this is how we return to each other.
No Data Found
Why this matters:
In a world of rapid change, continuity becomes a form of emotional safety.
Here’s a question for you!
7. Modern trends are not replacing celebration, they’re reshaping how people express it
Modern trends people notice most:
Digital gifts (22.9%), online events (21.8%), destination trips (19.8%), minimalist celebrations (19.2%), theme parties (16.3%).
This suggests celebration is adapting to new realities: distance, hybrid social lives, experience-first values, and smaller circles.
But the core remains unchanged.
✔ People still want to mark something.
✔ They still want to feel close to someone.
✔ They still want to remember.
Why this matters:
When formats change but purpose stays, it means celebration is resilient. It evolves to protect its emotional function.
Quick question!
Celebrations are changing, but their purpose isn’t
Across countries, people still treat celebrations as something deeper than a date. They are emotional anchors, relationship rituals, and identity reminders.
Yes, the way people celebrate is changing. But meaning is not disappearing. It is being protected, simplified, and carried forward in new forms.
What’s your take?
Read the insight story?
So, here’s a survey readily available for you! Do you want to participate?
Disclaimer:
These insights are not just for brands; they are for anyone trying to understand how decisions are made in 2025-26. The more people share, the clearer the picture becomes.
FAQs
1. Do festivals still matter in 2025?
Yes. A strong majority say festivals are important, with many calling them very important, showing celebrations still carry emotional significance.
2. Are people celebrating less than before?
Participation remains high overall, but many report celebrating differently. This suggests editing and adapting, not abandoning.
3. What do people value most in celebrations?
People, food, and memories rank highest, while social media sharing ranks lowest, suggesting closeness matters more than display.
4. Are traditions still relevant in modern life?
Yes. Over 90% say traditions still matter, showing they provide continuity, identity, and comfort in changing times.
5. How are modern trends changing celebrations?
Digital gifts, online events, destination trips, minimalist celebrations, and theme parties are rising, reshaping how celebrations are expressed.
6. Why do celebrations feel meaningful even when life is busy?
Because they create a socially accepted pause and a reason to reconnect, helping relationships renew themselves.
