How do millennials celebrate day-to-day activities /non-major milestones differently, what’s the changing perspective, what is their attitude?

• Millennials tend to celebrate small successes and milestones as well as large ones. They like to celebrate day-to-day successes. 
• They are also exploring new ways to celebrate milestones such as Valentine Day, which generated $19 billion spend in 2018.
• Compared to other generations, millennials have a unique need to celebrate every small or important milestones. 
• They like to commemorate milestones by creating experiences that are memorable. 
• Millennials' attitude is that "[...] the self should be nurtured and celebrated."
• A high level of individualism and self-expression characterize their behavior and attitude to celebrations.
• This leads to over-celebrating milestones.
• Social media have played an important role in this trend, with stars influencing millennials with their posts of images of their weddings, bachelorettes, or birthdays celebrations.

Is celebrating more important, less important, are people looking for inspiration / opportunities to celebrate occasions and what? Would be good to see a data point like people today are __ more likely to celebrate ___ occasion, as opposed to ____ in the past’

• Millennials now use milestones such as Valentine's Day and Halloween to buy their pets presents.
• They are the generation with the highest rate of pet ownership, at around 33% of all Americans.
• Valentine's Day is an opportunity for millennials to show their appreciation to their pets by buying them gifts. 
• In 2018, 25% of Americans under 35 planned to purchase a gift for their pet to commemorate Valentine's Day.
• Overall, this generation spends more on Valentine's Day gifts that their older counterparts.

What are some examples of brands that have sought to mark less famous days with a product or experience? What are some examples of brands that will respond to user generated content in a celebratory tone? What kinds of content are they specifically responding to?

• To capitalize on this trend, some pet stores like Petsmart have started dedicating a section of their website to Valentine's Day. These feature "I woof you" pillows and animal treats in the shape of hearts.
•  Amazon is another example of a company that is taking advantage of the new relationship between pets and the celebration of Valentine's Day, by featuring gift guides aimed at owners as well as pets.
• As millennials and younger generations tend to value looks as well as taste, candy makers have adjusted by launching products that look good for sharing on social media. These include Skittle's "Love Mix" and Nestlé's pink Kit Kat. 
• Kryspy Kreme have also launched special hearth-shaped Valentine's Day donuts with pink and red sprinkles. 

What is the psychology behind the act of celebration, especially for smaller occasions? Why do people do it and what expectations do they have about it?

• Half of 18-24 year old that do not plan on celebrating Valentine's Day are still aiming to celebrate on their own, and treat themselves to a gift.
• Some brands such as Lush Cosmetics and Birchbox have launched products that cater to this market, for people who want to treat themselves during this milestone.

Summary of Findings