Cheers to Change: The new milestones worth celebrating
As seen in Celebrations and Occasions 2025.
For decades — perhaps centuries and even We Didn’t Like Him millennia — the cultural playbook surrounding life’s milestones has been largely predictable: weddings, babies, graduations and birthdays. While those undoubtedly remain cause for celebration, today’s consumers are widening the lens on what milestones can and should be celebrated.
Women, particularly millennial and Gen Z, lead the charge on hosting nontraditional celebrations that honor life’s in-between transitions, fresh starts and deeply personal events that matter just as much as walking down the aisle or blowing out candles. Think: divorce and break- up parties, pet adoptions, cancer-free anniversaries, sober anniversaries, retirement fêtes (or promotion fêtes — or “I quit my job” fêtes).
At their core, these celebrations are about creating joy, celebrating human resilience and embracing life’s curveballs together instead of bearing the weight alone. They toast to the sheer fact that life keeps unfolding.
“We’re redefining what it means to celebrate,” said Nora Napientek, founder of nora fleming. “It’s not just birthdays and weddings anymore. It’s the everyday mini moments that make life meaningful.”
SMASHING STIGMAS
As women marry later, pursue careers and redefine success on their terms, they are not only identifying new milestones to celebrate but breaking down stigmas surrounding previously taboo topics such as divorce, sobriety and menopause.
Carolyn Hiler’s stationery company, A Zillion Dollars, offers several cards highlighting women’s resilience and taboo topics as more consumers celebrate the “minorstones” of life.
“I do think [this trend] has been driven by women and, particularly, a desire to shake off shame and traditional notions of what women should be,” she said. “It’s saying, ‘Look at all the things I can do with my life.’ It deserves to be acknowledged.”
A Zillion Dollars’ solid sellers in the category include its “You Look Good Divorced,” “Hot Flash Dance” and “Welcome to Middle Age” cards.
Totalee Gift has also cited women embracing a more celebratory attitude when it comes to events divorce and breakups.
“We’ve seen a shift in divorce not having that stigma on it like it used to 20 to 30 years ago,” said Michaela Martin, national sales manager for Totalee Gift. “People are treating divorce not just as an ending, but as a new beginning. It’s okay to reclaim your life and reclaim that joy, and that actually is something we’re celebrating now.”
HUMOR & HEART
Unlike traditional milestone celebrations, which can be scripted and ceremonial, these new gatherings brim with levity, humor and the freedom to shape them however one chooses.
Products like Totalee Gift’s cheeky “We Didn’t Like Him Anyways” slogan capture the playful-yet-empowering spirit that drives these occasions — laughter used as both a coping mechanism and a way to reframe the event.
“We definitely tend to be more on the snarky side of things, and I think that’s where you need to go with it. You have fun with it and you make it fun,” Martin said. “It’s not about making fun of marriage or divorce, though — it’s about celebrating the resilience of it and just finding joy in a moment that could be so heavy.”
That blend of humor and honesty resonates with Hiler’s customers as well, who are drawn to cards that acknowledge real-life transitions without sugarcoating them.
“There’s an honesty about it that is refreshing and liberating for people to say, ‘Hey, this is really happening. Let’s talk about the real deal and shake off whatever shame we have,’” Hiler said. “That stuff needs to be acknowledged with humor sometimes — you show your support through humor, laughter, camaraderie and connection. … Laughter keeps us going through the hard times.”
CELEBRATING TOGETHERNESS
The consumer mindset driving these products is simple: Any excuse to celebrate is a good one.
“Girls love a reason to go out and get together. … Whether it’s starting a new job, quitting a job, whatever it is, we find a reason to celebrate all of the little moments,” Martin said.
Napientek points to nora fleming’s line of interchangeable minis as a playful way to mark these occasions through tabletop décor.
“Maybe it’s a ‘breakup brunch’ with our new ‘wakey wakey’ eggs and bacon mini as a nod to fresh starts, our ‘home, sweet home!’ house mini for moving into a new place, or the ‘it’s paw-ty time’ paw mini for a furry friend’s ‘gotcha’ day,” she said. “These mini moments matter.”
Beyond the fun, these celebrations often serve as important reminders of community, friendship and resilience.
“People feel alone in these things like divorce or menopause or breakups,” Hiler said. “Transitions are scary, and if you have your friends or family coming around you to send you cards or gifts or acknowledge you, it’s just a way to bring support during a meaningful time.”
IN-STORE MOMENTS
Retailers are presented a unique opportunity to meet this demand with creative merchandising. Martin suggests setting up vignettes that spotlight these nontraditional fêtes: “Stores can create a fun breakup section with some wine glasses, a breakup box, candles, maybe chocolate. … When somebody walks in, they’ll say, ‘Oh, this would be so cute for my friend.’”
The goal is to make it easy for customers to find the perfect gift for life’s in-between milestones, whether they’re throwing a party or simply want to lift a friend’s spirits. Additionally, the payoff can be big, Martin emphasized.
“If you’re not catering to these ‘minorstones’ and little celebrations, you’re missing out on a piece of the market,” she said.
Ultimately, this trend reflects a larger cultural shift in how people — especially women — define success and happiness. It also emphasizes to society that celebration doesn’t have to follow tradition — it simply must honor real life.
“This is the future,” Hiler said. “We’re not going to go back to pretending these things aren’t really happening or don’t deserve attention. … And I love being a part of people making connections with others.”
