Young adults are embracing creative and personalized celebrations to inject a sense of ceremony into their daily lives, Meng Wenjie reports.
On March 13, Liu Jiaxian, a reporter working in Beijing, celebrated her 29th birthday with friends at a McDonald's themed birthday party — a party dedicated solely to her.
Despite making a reservation three days in advance, Liu found that the McDonald's locations popular for birthday parties in Beijing were already fully booked. "The staff told us that more people in their 20s are choosing McDonald's birthday celebrations over kids nowadays," she said.
I felt like I wasn’t just celebrating another year of life but also rediscovering the pure joy of playing with friends from my childhood.
Liu Jiaxian, 29, a reporter
After finally securing a spot, Liu selected the theme "Best Friends Forever".
During the 90-minute event, the staff arranged games that allowed them to reconnect with their inner child. Liu believes that many young adults still hold this spirit but often suppress it in their daily lives. Celebrating birthdays this way gives them a chance to express themselves freely.
"I felt like I wasn't just celebrating another year of life but also rediscovering the pure joy of playing with friends from my childhood. I truly enjoyed the 'sense of ceremony' this party brought," she said.
On the eve of International Children's Day, which falls on Saturday, these young adults want to demonstrate that celebrations are not just for kids. Instead, the concept of a "sense of ceremony" has become essential in the lives of many young people, enabling them to express their individuality and showcase their personalities.
According to a survey conducted by China Youth Daily's Social Survey Center in June 2023, involving 1,334 young participants, 90.9 percent actively incorporate a sense of ceremony into their daily lives, with 57 percent stating that embracing celebrations reflects a person's passion for life.
Li Xinran is one of these individuals. In May, she celebrated her 27th birthday with friends, introducing a unique dress code: guests were requested to dress according to their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality types.
"The MBTI personalities align with our true characters and how we interact with one another, so everyone was very excited during the preparations," she explained.
Life is more than just surviving. The small surprises from a simple ceremony make our daily existence brighter.
Hu Mengdi, 25, a party planner
This dress code tradition in the group began last October. Due to their busy schedules, Li and her friends struggled to find time to socialize, so they decided to plan a specific activity for their gatherings. "The dress code makes us look more like a team. We use this approach to celebrate our time together and create more memorable experiences," Li said.
While many young people enjoy organizing their own celebrations, some prefer to delegate the task to professionals, leading to the rise of "party planners" as a growing industry in recent years.
Hu Mengdi, 25, started learning about balloon party planning in Chengdu, the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, in May 2023.After completing her training, Hu established her own business.
"Most people in this industry are young, born in the 1990s," she observed.
Since then, Hu has organized nearly 200 themed balloon parties within just one year in her hometown of Xichang, a smaller city in Sichuan.
One of her most cherished events was for five elderly women who wanted to celebrate Father's Day for their husbands. While 80 percent of Hu's clients are young adults in their 20s and 30s, these women allowed her to see that romance knows no age limits.
"Life is more than just surviving. The small surprises from a simple ceremony make our daily existence brighter," Hu said.
Modern rituals
According to Ren Danhua, a 24-year-old sociology graduate student at Wuhan University, Central China's Hubei province, the concept of ceremony originally stemmed from religious rituals. However, as society progressed, ceremonies evolved from religious contexts to everyday human interactions, giving rise to what is now commonly known as a "sense of ceremony" in daily life.
"For individuals, a sense of ceremony plays a crucial role in terms of self-identity and personal fulfillment," Ren explained.
For individuals, a sense of ceremony plays a crucial role in terms of self-identity and personal fulfillment.
Ren Danhua, 24, a graduate student at Wuhan University
She pointed out that traditional ceremonies were typically initiated by authorities or social institutions, such as school graduation ceremonies or church services. In contrast, contemporary ceremonies among young people are more personal and closely connected to their daily experiences.
She also highlighted how the two key elements of traditional ceremonies — interaction with people and physical location — have been challenged by societal changes and the rise of social media.
"A sense of ceremony can be achieved without interacting with others. For example, if I were to celebrate my birthday alone, I might treat myself to a birthday cake. This simple act is also a form of ceremony," Ren explained.
Ceremonies can now take place online instead of in person. Liu, for instance, arranged online birthday parties for friends who are away on business trips. They would create videos with heartfelt messages or play emoji-based games in WeChat group chats. "Even if we can't meet in person, these creative virtual gatherings can still foster a sense of togetherness," said Liu.
For today's youth, everything can be celebrated. Li, an enthusiast of scripted murder games, known as jubensha in Chinese, recently marked her completion of 200 different scripted murder games. To her, these games provided a platform to experience various roles in a short period of time.
"Despite being in my 20s, I've already lived through 200 different lives in these games," Li said. "Also, the bonds that I've formed with my friends through these 'lives' are special and worth celebrating."
Even events traditionally seen in a negative light can be a reason for celebration.
Last summer, Hu worked with a client who wanted to throw a divorce party for her friend, celebrating her stepping out of an unhealthy marriage and wishing her well as she embraced a fresh start.
"Divorce isn't typically celebrated in eras that prioritize tradition and stability," said Ren. She explained that as modern society undergoes rapid changes and uncertainties, young people are more inclined to embrace events traditionally seen as negative; they tend to accept and redefine these events in a positive way through personalized ceremonies.
"These ceremonies mirror contemporary social values and influence the structure of modern life," Ren said.
However, while the sense of ceremony has become more integrated into the daily lives of young people, Li noted that life shouldn't be confined to these festivities. She stressed the importance of staying focused on the purpose of celebrations: whether one engages in the ceremony merely for show or for the joy and fulfillment it brings by breaking the monotony of daily routines.
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For example, Li and her friends take pleasure in dressing up, but they encourage choosing clothes from their existing wardrobes or buying items that can be worn on a regular basis. They also respect the wishes of friends who prefer not to have elaborate birthday celebrations.
"Life should not be bound by the sense of ceremony, nor should it become a burden, whether in terms of finances or time," Li said.
Hu, despite working as a party planner, also believes that ceremonies don't necessarily have to be grand affairs. They can be as simple as a delicious breakfast, a bouquet of flowers, Chinese New Year decorations, or a new school bag for a child on their first day of school.
"A ceremony is not about how much money you spend or how extravagant the event is; it's about showing respect and love for life," Hu said.
Contact the writer at mengwenjie@i21st.cn
