TT #47: handfasting

Thirteen things about handfasting This is the # 100 of the Thursday Thirteen. Congratulations!!!!! I know we all are invited to write about our thirteen favorite Thursday Thirteen posts, but I'll save that for another occassion. This coming Saturday I'm going to a handfasting ceremony, so that's my theme for this week. Handfasting is the marriage rite used by many heathens, (neo-)Pagans and Wiccans. In some cases, other people who are fashioning a wedding theme around their Celtic ancestry may also use this term, even if they are not Pagan, per se. For some it is a year and a day, renewable "so long as love shall last" and for others a commitment to be together throughout this life time, or through many lives. The term itself comes from the custom of shaking hands over a contract. It is a custom steeped in old tradition. "Handfasting" refers to the hands being bound together with a cord as part of the ritual. See "tying the knot" or "the ties that bind". In modern Pagan traditions, handfasting may be used either in the informal betrothal sense, or may be used as a legal wedding, complete with wedding license. If at least one Priestess or Priest officiating at the rite is legally registered, the rite can stand as a legal marriage. Most Handfastings, however, are not legally certified. It is not possible for pagan clergy in a lot of countries (yet, I hope). Handfasting is quite popular today, among many people who find that their own lifestyles call for an alternative joining ceremony to that provided by more typical weddings. Handfasting can be used by couples of the same sex, or by group marriages who wish to have more than two people in their families. They can be used by people who are members of Pagan (polytheistic nature) religions, or by people who don't necessarily share the same beliefs. There are also Christian and other folks who choose to use handfasting as their wedding rituals for various reasons. There are probably as many rituals for this as there are people who have joined themselves together. Most couples write their own ritual, see some examples. Another example of a handfasting ceremony can be found here. The handfasting gesture seems to have been derived from one of the ancient Indo-European images of male-female conjunction, the infinity sign, whose twin circles represented the sun (female) and the moon (male) or in some of the southern Mediterranean traditions it was sun (male) and moon (female). The hands are generally bound with a cord as part of the ritual. One custom is that while facing each other, the couple places their right hands together and then their left hands together to form an infinity symbol while a cord is tied around their hands in a knot. Another custom is that the man and woman place their right hands only together while a cord is used to tie a knot around their wrists. There's also the "besom wedding" or "jumping the broom", an unofficial custom that was considered quite lawful in parts of Wales until recent times. A birch besom was placed aslant in the open doorway of the house, with its head on the doorstep and the top of its handle on the door-post. First a young man jumped over it, then his bride, in the presence of witnesses. If either touched or knocked it in any way, the marriage was not recognised. A couple should consider colour correspondences when choosing a colour for their cord(s). The cord is what the officiant will tie or wrap around the couples' hands during ritual to symbolize their union. You can use colour meanings relevant to you, or commonly used correspondences. Couples may drink out of the same cup to indicate the joining of their lives and destinies. Rings are often exchanged. Most of the traditional symbols and customs we associate with traditional weddings (cake, wine and toasts, having rice or grain tossed over the bride and groom, ivy in the bridal bouquet, the 'unity candle', the veil, the garter, etc) were pagan rites originally. Many of these rites, such as rice-throwing, started out as fertility charms. Although Beltane is becoming a popular time to hold Handfasting rites, May has traditionally been considered an unlucky month in which to wed, since that is the Gods' sacred marriage month. It seems kind of like upstaging the Goddess on Her wedding day… Therefore Midsummer and/or the waxing to full moon in June seems most appropriate. Samhain is also becoming a popular time for Handfasting Rites though. The best day and time of the week to perform a Handfasting rite is either Monday or Friday at the first hour after sunrise or the first hour after sunset. The worst days are Tuesday and Saturday, any time. There are quite a few movies in which you can see some kind of handfasting ritual. If you want to read more about handfasting, here is a list of books. source: Btw, we found a present for Saturday; Wonder came up with a great idea. We are making something ourselves. Can't tell you about it yet, but I'll post pics after the weekend! ~*~*~*~ Links to other Thursday Thirteens! ~*~ Bankerchick ~*~ Dewey ~*~ Stonegirl ~*~ Sue ~*~ Thomma Lyn ~*~ Robin ~*~ sobeit ~*~ she ~*~ Natalie ~*~ misc-mum ~*~ DK ~*~ jdoriot ~*~ MommyBa ~*~ Joely Sue ~*~ Gabriella Hewitt ~*~ Gattina ~*~ Daisy ~*~ Tempest Knight ~*~ owensmomma ~*~ Stella Price ~*~ Candy Minx ~*~ Alasandra ~*~ Dragonheart ~*~ Lesley ~*~ N.J. 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