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Festivals and Ceremonies Celebrated by DecidingToBeBetter
by Marshall Brain
DecidingToBeBetter members recognize and celebrate several important life-events and annual festivals as a community.
The Festivals include:
- The Festival of Generosity, celebrated on December 25. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to celebrate and focus attention on the values of giving, generosity, kindness and charity. Different DecidingToBeBetter communities and individual families choose the specific elements of their festival, but it usually includes the exchanging of gifts amongst members and inside families as an inward expression of giving and generosity; the collection of money or gifts for a local or global cause as an outward expression of giving and generosity; the decorating of evergreen trees, often referred to as Giving Trees or Generosity Trees; Large gatherings of members and families for fancy meals; and so on.
- The Festival of Thanks, also known as Thanksgiving, celebrated on the traditional Thanksgiving day for any given locale. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to celebrate and focus attention on the values of gratitude and thankfulness. DecidingToBeBetter communities and families give thanks for the people in our lives today, and look forward to meeting and helping new friends and family members in the future.
- The Festival of Love, also known as Valentine's Day, celebrated on February 14. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to celebrate and focus attention on the values of love, friendship, family and forgiveness.
- The Festival of Renewal, also known as New Year's Eve, celebrated on December 31. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to celebrate and focus attention on the values of hope and optimism.
- The Festival of the Community, celebrated on October 31. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to celebrate and focus attention on the value of loving and helping your neighbors and the value of community.
- The Festival of Spring, usually celebrated on a specifically calculated date sometime between March 8 to April 5, depending on the locale. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to celebrate and focus attention on the joy of springtime and rebirth, and the values of hope, optimism and family.
- The Festival of Mothers, usually celebrated on the second Sunday in the May, but may vary by locale. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to celebrate and focus attention on motherhood and everything it represents, and also to consider ways to be better as parents.
- The Festival of Fathers, usually celebrated on the second Sunday in the June, but may vary by locale. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to celebrate and focus attention on fatherhood and everything it entails, and also to consider ways to be better as parents.
- The Festival of Unity, celebrated on the third Monday of January. A chance for DecidingToBeBetter communities and families to focus attention on the values of diversity, tolerance and equality for all.
The Ceremonies include:
- The Ceremony of Matrimony - celebrated when two DecidingToBeBetter members decide to form a lifelong bond as a couple.
- The Ceremony of Remembrance - celebrated when a DecidingToBeBetter member dies.
- The Ceremony of Adulthood - traditionally celebrated on or around a teenager's 16th birthday, to welcome him or her into the adult world. Often preceded by classes that help teenagers to understand the rights, values and responsibilities of adulthood.
- The Ceremony of Membership - celebrated when new members make a commitment to DecidingToBeBetter.
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