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Article OLDEN HOLIDAY CUSTOMS ← Page 10 of 11 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Olden Holiday Customs
firing during the Avedding procession . This procession is sometimes a mounted one , and consists of couples , generally candidates for Avedlock ; being preceded by a piper playing suitable Scotch tunes , and Avhose presence is subsequently indispensable Avhen the reels are struck up . The festivities last for tAvo or three daysthe Avhole party remaining at the house of the
, neAV-married couple , during Avhich period the " Wisga na Baidh " circulates freely . Among the hills of Northumberland , a custom exists ( a genuine piece of folk-lore ) , Avhich was witnessed by the writer a feAV months ago . Upon the arrival home of the bride , a napkin is placed over her head , and a late containing small ieces of bridal-cake is tossed overAvhich
p p , falls to the ground , and is shattered to atoms , the cake being scrambled for eagerly by a host of bairns , who never fail to he in readiness for the occasion . It is thought that should the plate fall and remain entire , it omens some misfortune to the youthful pair . Mr . A . Macauley describes a curious old
ceremony at Claybrook , Leicestershire , knoAvn as " riding for the bridecake ; " and mentions that during the last century a custom , coeval Avith Theocritus and Virgil , Avas kept up , that of throwing nuts and almonds to the people at Avecldings . Not many years since , " trashing" was a popular observance in Yorkshire , and consisted in pelting the couple with old shoes
upon their return from church . Whether this may be connected Avith the old shoe-casting for good-luck , does not appear . At Dunmow , Essex , it Avas customary to give a flitch of bacon to every couple Aidio , a year and a day having elapsed since their union , swore that they had neither quarreled nor repented , sleeping or Avaking , of then marriage vow . A similar usage
prevailed at Whichmore , in Staffordshire . With regard to wedding concomitants , bridal-cake is derived from the Romans , bridal-favours from the Danes , and bride'smaids are , as Strutt tells us , as old as the Anglo-Saxons . Small presents were formerly much in vogue . In Queen Elizabeth ' s time , these consisted of small silken embroidered kerchiefs , which were fastened and worn outside the chess . Gloves Avere
always distributed . In the " Silent Woman , " Lady Haughly observes , " We see no ensigns of a wedding here—no character of a bridal . 'Where be our scarves and our gloves ? " We have before named gloves in connection Avith other ceremonies , and may therefore be alloived to complete their uses , by quoting Gay upon a popular
practice" Cicely , brisk maid , steps forth before the rout , And kissed with smacking lips the snoring lout ; For custom says , who ' er this venture proves , For such a kiss demands a pair of gloves . "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Olden Holiday Customs
firing during the Avedding procession . This procession is sometimes a mounted one , and consists of couples , generally candidates for Avedlock ; being preceded by a piper playing suitable Scotch tunes , and Avhose presence is subsequently indispensable Avhen the reels are struck up . The festivities last for tAvo or three daysthe Avhole party remaining at the house of the
, neAV-married couple , during Avhich period the " Wisga na Baidh " circulates freely . Among the hills of Northumberland , a custom exists ( a genuine piece of folk-lore ) , Avhich was witnessed by the writer a feAV months ago . Upon the arrival home of the bride , a napkin is placed over her head , and a late containing small ieces of bridal-cake is tossed overAvhich
p p , falls to the ground , and is shattered to atoms , the cake being scrambled for eagerly by a host of bairns , who never fail to he in readiness for the occasion . It is thought that should the plate fall and remain entire , it omens some misfortune to the youthful pair . Mr . A . Macauley describes a curious old
ceremony at Claybrook , Leicestershire , knoAvn as " riding for the bridecake ; " and mentions that during the last century a custom , coeval Avith Theocritus and Virgil , Avas kept up , that of throwing nuts and almonds to the people at Avecldings . Not many years since , " trashing" was a popular observance in Yorkshire , and consisted in pelting the couple with old shoes
upon their return from church . Whether this may be connected Avith the old shoe-casting for good-luck , does not appear . At Dunmow , Essex , it Avas customary to give a flitch of bacon to every couple Aidio , a year and a day having elapsed since their union , swore that they had neither quarreled nor repented , sleeping or Avaking , of then marriage vow . A similar usage
prevailed at Whichmore , in Staffordshire . With regard to wedding concomitants , bridal-cake is derived from the Romans , bridal-favours from the Danes , and bride'smaids are , as Strutt tells us , as old as the Anglo-Saxons . Small presents were formerly much in vogue . In Queen Elizabeth ' s time , these consisted of small silken embroidered kerchiefs , which were fastened and worn outside the chess . Gloves Avere
always distributed . In the " Silent Woman , " Lady Haughly observes , " We see no ensigns of a wedding here—no character of a bridal . 'Where be our scarves and our gloves ? " We have before named gloves in connection Avith other ceremonies , and may therefore be alloived to complete their uses , by quoting Gay upon a popular
practice" Cicely , brisk maid , steps forth before the rout , And kissed with smacking lips the snoring lout ; For custom says , who ' er this venture proves , For such a kiss demands a pair of gloves . "