Romantic Trivia and Love LoreToo~

The LoveSeat, now seen everywhere as a part of everyday furniture, originated in the 17th century. Originally designed to accommodate the voluminous skirts on the dresses of the fashionable ladies of the day. It became very popular for couples courting to sit together so in the 18th century manufacturers modified it to an "S" shape to allow two people to sit closely together, while not being "too" close together.

The use of the fan and handkerchieves were quite well known to be used by ladies to send messages to their suitors. Men also had a means of sending messages to a lady using their canes, or walking sticks. A lady could also use this means of communication as well.
*Toying, or tossing it among the fingers of the left hand - I would like to meet or speak with you.
*Toying, or tossing it among the fingers of the right hand - I would like to meet that person.
*Putting the head to the lips - I love you.
*Tapping or hitting the ground with force- I despise you.
*Holding it top and bottom in both hands - Wait for me.
*Placing both hands upon the head and resting one's chin on it while engaged in conversation- I only have eyes for you or you have my attention.
*Putting it upon the left shoulder - I am engaged.
*Placing it on the right shoulder - Follow me.
*Dragging it behind, while walking - We will be friends.
*Handing it to a person by the lower end - I accept you.
*Handing it to a person by the head - I reject you.
*When held in both hands and bending it - I love someone else.
*By holding it bottom upward, in front of you - My heart belongs to you.
*And in holding it with both hands and draped across the shoulders- Notice me.

The Shivaree (chivaree, charivari) also known in some regions as the callithump, or "belling the bride" is a noisy, boisterous mock serenade, of the bridal couple. Usually given by friends and relatives. A charivari was a custom that was practiced up unitl the 1950 in many parts of the US. Descendent from the Scottish/Irish border prank of "bride abduction" on the wedding night, wherein rivaling clans would abduct the bride. The settlers brought it west in the 1800s carrying this tradition with them just as the first European settlers brought the age old tradition from their mother countries of England, Scotland, Germany and Russia. In some of these countries, the tradition involved escorting the couple into their bedchamber and often staying the night with them.
     The chivaree is a playful but rowdy gathering in which a newlywed couple's friends make their wedding night a nightmare filled with noise. Banging on pots, pans and washtubs, ringing bells outside the location the couple was staying was the standard. Early charivaris (Shivarees, chivarees) included the shooting of guns and an invitation from the bridal couple to come inside with cigars for the gentlemen and lemonade or tea for the ladies. In some parts of the U.S. the bride was carried around in a tub at times, and the groom was ridden on a rail. In still others, the groom placed the bride in a wheel barrow and pushed her around the town square. The charivari was anciently in France a regular wedding custom, all bridal couples being thus serenaded.
      As times changed and more couples traveled to distant locales on a honeymoon trip, upon their return groups of friends met them with an improvised "Bull Band." For the bull band, anything that made noise was a suitable instrument -- cowbells, horns, dishpans or whatever was handy.
     Now days, the only shivaree is the traditional decoration of the "get away" vehicle of the couple, with shaving cream and tin cans tied to the bumper, vasoline on the gear shift, bananas in the tail pipe, soaping the windows, then following them down the street in a parade, with everyone honking their horns, and if it can be pulled off, fixing up their marriage bed for their return from the honeymoon. Short-sheeting the bed, removal of slats, crackers in the bed, removing all the labels from canned goods, etc. Because of the automobile, couples can get into their cars and make a quick get away and drive off to a romantic honeymoon destination-often the airport to begin their journey. The decoration of the newlywed couple's car is a tradition, which derives from chivaree. In a way when people decorate the couple's vehicle and send them off with sprays of birdseed and noise, what they are really doing is serenading them or giving them a modernized version of the old chivaree.