Honoring Rituals
One of the fun benefits of living part time in Southern California is that I get to go to Disneyland, a lot. Each and every time I arrive to Walt’s original theme park, I’m transported back to the summer of 1999, when I fulfilled a dream by becoming a Cast Member at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. And then someone asks me for directions.
There’s a lot I could, and have, said about how my brief time as a Cast Member has informed my career in the hospitality industry. This month, I want to share an experience that reminded me of the power of ritual, and honoring rituals with others.
On my most recent visit to the Disneyland Resort in California, I met up with a friend of mine from high school and his friends who were in town on what I thought was a vacation. Over an early dinner, I learned that they were not just Disney fans on vacation–they were participating in a ritual for their group. Every time one of them experienced a breakup, they would take a trip that involved a Disney experience–be it a visit to the theme parks, a cruise, etc. To mark the occasion, they requested a cake. Now, this in and of itself was a learning opportunity for me, I didn’t know that you can request a cake at a full service dining outlet in a Disney theme park. File that away for future use.
When our server brought the cake, and candles, she asked what we were celebrating and one person proudly said, “We’re celebrating my divorce!” The Cast Member did not miss a beat–she quickly saw that this person was happy to be celebrating and replied, “Congratulations!” She lit the candles and went on her way. As I was cutting the cake, this Cast Member returned with two buttons. She revealed that she had run around to all of the nearby locations to try to find just the right buttons, and in this moment, I was so deeply impressed.
You see, this Cast Member met the moment. She immediately honored this ritual in exactly the same way she would have honored any other celebration taking place. It was incredibly powerful and even set an example to the diners around us. When we couldn’t finish the cake, we began offering it to others who of course asked what we were celebrating. And they, too, met the moment. They honored the celebration, and they really appreciated the free chocolate cake.
Every time we gather–whether for a meal, a walk, a party, or a conference, we’re activating a ritual behavior. What can you do to honor the ritual, and make something seemingly ordinary feel just a little bit magical?
When you do, I promise people will notice.