Reasons For Celebration
There are many reasons why people celebrate special occasions. Think about the celebrations in which your families regularly participate. What are the reasons for these events? Why do you celebrate them?
These reasons include:
Social Reasons
Social celebrations are those that commonly involve friends and relatives. They may be planned events, like a school dinner for year 10 parent, or they may be celebrations that are organised for no particular reason, such as morning tea or coffee with friends.
Social celebrations can be either formal or informal. In Australia they are often informal, or casual-think of the popularity of BBQ's, picnics and buffets.
Certain social events are linked with particular foods that are commonly served and eaten. For example:
Cultural Reasons
Culture is understood as the values, knowledge, beliefs, behaviours, dress and foods that are passed on through each generation of a particular society. We usually gain an understanding of our culture from our parents and those around us. Cultural celebrations often have historical foundations. For example:
There are different types of cultural celebrations in multicultural Australia, most of which involve the preparation of special foods.
Australia Day
Aboriginal Initiation Ceremonies
Chinese New Year and The Lantern Festival
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Religious Reasons
Religions celebrate their beliefs at different times of the year, and even the same religious event may vary from country to country in the food that is eaten and the rituals that are performed.
People may eat special foods on certain religious days to remind themselves of their God or Gods, or their beliefs. People may go without food because it allows them to think more about their God or Gods and others that may be suffering or have suffered in the past
Christianity
Christmas
Easter
Judaism
The Sabbath
Passover
Islam
Ramadan
Hinduism
Ramanavami
Historical Reasons
Events in history can influence when and how a special occasion is celebrated. Many of the previously mentioned celebrations are grounded in historical events.
Anzac day
Valentines Day
Family Reasons
The family is a most important and influential unit. Your family helps to determine your values and ideas. Every family differs in terms of structure. Some common family structures are the nuclear family, the single parent family and the blended or adopted family. Families all over the world choose to celebrate occasions that are important to them.
Task 1.
Choose one events which is listed above as a cultural, religious, or historical celebration.
Research this celebration by finding out
Where did it originate?
Why did it originate, for example the cultural/ religious/ historical significance?
What type of food is eaten during the celebration?
What does the food represent?
These reasons include:
- Social reasons
- Cultural reasons
- Religious reasons
- Historical reasons
- Family reasons
Social Reasons
Social celebrations are those that commonly involve friends and relatives. They may be planned events, like a school dinner for year 10 parent, or they may be celebrations that are organised for no particular reason, such as morning tea or coffee with friends.
Social celebrations can be either formal or informal. In Australia they are often informal, or casual-think of the popularity of BBQ's, picnics and buffets.
Certain social events are linked with particular foods that are commonly served and eaten. For example:
- Foods served at BBQ's include steak, sausages, salads, bread rolls and fruits
- Foods served at Cocktail parties include canapés, crackers, cheese, fruit, cocktails, wine and champagne
- Foods served at formal dinners include soups, terrines, roast meats, vegetables, plated desserts, alcohol, coffee
- Foods served at morning or afternoon tea include cakes, biscuits, slices, tea, coffee, muffins, tarts
- Foods served at a buffet lunch include cold meats, salads, potato bake, pasta soft serve ice creams
Cultural Reasons
Culture is understood as the values, knowledge, beliefs, behaviours, dress and foods that are passed on through each generation of a particular society. We usually gain an understanding of our culture from our parents and those around us. Cultural celebrations often have historical foundations. For example:
- In Australia many people exchange gifts at Christmas and give chocolate eggs at Easter, even though they may not be a Christian.
- Many Australians eat a cold Christmas dinner because the weather is hot, while others still follow the English tradition and consume a hot turkey roast.
There are different types of cultural celebrations in multicultural Australia, most of which involve the preparation of special foods.
Australia Day
Aboriginal Initiation Ceremonies
Chinese New Year and The Lantern Festival
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Religious Reasons
Religions celebrate their beliefs at different times of the year, and even the same religious event may vary from country to country in the food that is eaten and the rituals that are performed.
People may eat special foods on certain religious days to remind themselves of their God or Gods, or their beliefs. People may go without food because it allows them to think more about their God or Gods and others that may be suffering or have suffered in the past
Christianity
Christmas
Easter
Judaism
The Sabbath
Passover
Islam
Ramadan
Hinduism
Ramanavami
Historical Reasons
Events in history can influence when and how a special occasion is celebrated. Many of the previously mentioned celebrations are grounded in historical events.
Anzac day
Valentines Day
Family Reasons
The family is a most important and influential unit. Your family helps to determine your values and ideas. Every family differs in terms of structure. Some common family structures are the nuclear family, the single parent family and the blended or adopted family. Families all over the world choose to celebrate occasions that are important to them.
- Birthdays celebrate a persons age
- Weddings celebrate the marriage of two people and the union of two families
- Family reunions celebrate the bringing together of families that may have become separated over a period of time.
Task 1.
Choose one events which is listed above as a cultural, religious, or historical celebration.
Research this celebration by finding out
Where did it originate?
Why did it originate, for example the cultural/ religious/ historical significance?
What type of food is eaten during the celebration?
What does the food represent?