Certainly, there is one thing that we all have in common and which we all celebrate even though we have played little part in the event – birthdays. Everyone has the chance to celebrate their birthday every year (and for no obvious reason, some birthdays are celebrated more than others) and as someone has said once, “Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.” Interestingly, though, some cultures celebrate a person’s naming day rather than their birthday, it having more significance, while William Barclay, a twentieth-century theologian, pointed out something similar, that “There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.” The latter is perhaps more the one we should celebrate but we cannot have the latter without the former – and yet few celebrate the latter.

As we have noted previously, psychologists will tell us it is good to celebrate. But what do we, and should we, celebrate? Generally, we will celebrate something that is seen to be significant or important – an anniversary, perhaps, or a long and fruitful stint at a workplace. Equally, though, we note that we celebrate something that has been done well, an achievement, a prize, a promotion.

More significantly perhaps is the question of how we should celebrate. Sportsmen and women come up each week with new, creative and symbolic ways of celebrating their successes, be they scoring a goal, winning a point, taking a wicket. Furthermore, now it is not just when someone scores a goal or a try that they celebrate but when a goalkeeper saves a penalty or a defender makes a key tackle – high fives, fist pumps, back slapping, loud shouts, they are all in there, and more!

Should we not therefore, when we arrive safely at our destination after a long and safe car journey jump out of the car and run madly round the car, arms aloft, screaming loudly? When we cook a tasty meal, should we not run out of the kitchen and slide along the floor on our belly with arms out wide? The fact is, we do not do such, even though the achievement is worthy of praise, as that is our job, our responsibility; that is what we are meant to do – just like those on the sports field are there to score a goal or try. As Lance Armstrong said, “We over-celebrate when we win and over-react when we lose.” We need to help our children celebrate correctly while they are young.

Carlo Ancelotti is one of the modern game’s most successful soccer coaches, a man who has every reason to celebrate successes as he has achieved so many of them but here is a man who has seen through all the noise of celebrations, all the glamour, glitz and garbage that it offers. At the recent World Cup, he was asked why he did not celebrate wildly after Gabriel Martinelli’s late winner for Brazil against Japan in the round of 32 and he replied “Football is also about respect. Yes, we were happy to win, but I looked across and saw a Japanese team that had given absolutely everything. They fought with incredible courage, and I know exactly how painful a defeat like that can be.”

He unpacked this further by adding that “Of course, I celebrated inside because my responsibility is to Brazil and qualifying was our objective… Sometimes the best way to respect your opponent is to remain humble in your biggest moments. Japan made us suffer for ninety-five minutes. They deserved our respect, not exaggerated celebrations. Brazil are through, but we know we must improve. Tonight we celebrate the qualification, but tomorrow we go back to work because the World Cup only gets more difficult from here.” [Oh, and by the way, Brazil lost in the next round.]

And have we not seen how opponents can become even more fired up seeing the opposition celebrate wildly? They become even more determined to retaliate in a way that will hurt them even more. And have we not seen how teams often concede a goal or try or wicket immediately after their celebrations in achieving one themselves? Celebrations often lead to a loss of concentration.

To a certain extent, we should also celebrate our losses, as they are the means to help us improve and develop, and is that not a cause for celebration, indeed even more so than winning (when we often do not learn anything)? In doing that, we might therefore just temper our celebrations, as Ancelotti would encourage us. Celebrate? Be careful! Celebrate sport; celebrate the game. Celebrate life, each day, each moment. Celebrate the birth of fun and purpose in sport. But respect others.