Secular ceremonies: What are they? How to celebrate them?

 Humans like to celebrate major life transitions such as birth, pregnancy, attainment of maturity, coupling, and even death. These are milestones of life for most people. Funeral rites have been unearthed and they date back 60000 years. In most of these events there is enjoyment, music, feasting, ceremonies, and speeches. Besides, these are times of commitments and pledges and also reflection of lives. These need not be linked to religion but many do so. 

Types of ceremonies

In a human life, ceremonies are of different types. Most important for most are births, marriages and deaths. Then, there are naming ceremonies, weaning food ceremonies, coming of age ceremonies (Norway and India), engagement ceremonies etc. In conservative societies, there are innumerable ceremonies and these are less in developed world. 

Secular wedding (Source: Friendly Atheist - Patheos) 

More and more people in the West are going for secular of humanist ceremonies where there is no mention of God or religion. 

Non-religious and secular ceremonies

When religion is mixed with these ceremonies, often people realize that there are innumerable rituals and customs that tend to fatigue a person and the attendees and the reason for such ceremonies is lost. People find themselves doing and saying things that they do not believe in. The real essence is lost and replaced with some stereotypical things. 

Hence non-religious people believe in secular ceremonies and want to follow it with their heart and not with past precedent occasions. Many irreligious people do not even want any ceremonies to mark the transitions of life and are happy without it. And when they do ceremonies, they do not follow a fixed format and do it the way they want it. They do things on their own with maybe some help from friends. They take no assistance of an experienced or professional celebrant or ceremony arranger. There are many humanist groups that offer references for such people for secular ceremonies. They also for a fee help such people to plan and conduct the ceremonies in a way that the person wants. 

For help, you can go through these society's useful websites:

The Humanist Society

The British Humanist Association

The Humanist Society of Scotland

"Humanist World"

Read here: A daughter's tribute to her father