Spring weddings are a lot of fun. That is when my first husband and I got married, but instead of talking about our wedding day, I'd like to talk about something that isn't done today. Something that Grandma planned for us...a shivaree. In bygone days, a rural bride and groom were often the center of attention shortly after their wedding when locals gathered to give them a shivaree. I remember Grandma doing this after my aunts and uncles got married. However, I had forgotten all about it the first time that my husband and I made the trek two hours north to visit her and Grandpa.
We went to bed about 11pm. We had just fallen asleep when we heard a commotion outside our window. I got out of bed and looked into the yard. There were all of my aunts, uncles, as well as some of the neighbors, banging pots and pans together and making a terrible racket. My uncles were hammering on metal barrels and the uproar was enough to wake the dead. I quickly got back into bed and we pretended that we hadn't heard anything. That's when the door opened and the gathering burst into the room. We were young and were so embarrassed. I can laugh now, but back then, we were both mortified.
After everyone had left the room, we got up, dressed and went downstairs. Grandma had food galore spread out on the table for a midnight feast. We had lots of fun talking to neighbors and reminiscing about when my grandparents moved to the area when I was twelve and how I'd always spent summers there.
Not many people today can say they were treated to a shivaree--a good old fashioned way to have fun and a great excuse for a celebration.
If you would like to join the I Remember When meme, please visit Speaking from the Heart. It's a lot of fun stepping back in time through our memories.
I put the number of entries into the random generator at Random.org for the giveaway of Miralee Ferrells' book Love Finds You in Last Chance California. The winner is (Drum Roll, please) Denise from Samaritan Women. Here is the time stamp:
2
Timestamp: 2009-03-01 01:48:31 UTC
Timestamp: 2009-03-01 01:48:31 UTC
Denise, since I already have your address, I will pass it along to Miralee so she can send you out the signed copy of her book. Congratulations!
Oh my gosh! OMG!!! I won something! How wonderful..... Thanks Mary. I will take some pictures when the book arrives! I am so excited..........I will be back in a bit to read the rest of the post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary!
Congrats to Denise - what a nice thing to win.
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing my parents talk about shivareeing friends. What a fun memory!
That is a great story. I have always heard about shivarees, but have never known of anyone who actually had it happen to them. I remember seeing one on the old Waltons show - I don't think I would have liked it!
ReplyDeleteGood Evening Mary,
ReplyDeleteLong time no chat I guesa you could say. I did put up a new post tonight. If you have time, drop by and catch up with whats been going on wih me. I had a stroke on the 7th of this month and have convgestive heart failure as well. WEgto some wno tody a well and Igot some pics oc it. Take care and may Gd B lezs you and yours. Loe what ANNIE DID WITH THE NEW HEADER. sHE IS REALLY TALENTED .
lOVE,
kAREN hORTON
Mary, How funny! Hope this finds you well! take care my friend, Spring wil be here one of these days! Love,Lori
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful for Denise!!
ReplyDeleteI've not heard the expression 'shivaree' in ages! And obviously Blogger hasn't either [it's telling me it's misspelled]....that it should be shiver. LOLOLOL
What a great memory. And yes, along with you and your 1st hubby, I think it would be sooooo embarrassing. But, fun.
I've never heard of a shivaree. It does sound like a lot of fun though once you get over the initial shock, huh?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI had heard of this before but never from someone who actually experienced it. Great tale.
ReplyDeleteI hope to join "I Remember When" if my new internet connection works well on Tuesday.
I've heard of this but never realized that it was a part of rural Ontario culture. In my mind, it was a Newfoundland thing (although I don't really know if that's correct or just what I had thought).
ReplyDeleteI have never heard the word shivaree until I read this post! I am going to go and Google it right now... I wish that people knew how to live like that now..... People have forgot how to celebrate life...... I so enjoyed hearing that story.......
ReplyDeleteOk..... here is what I learned!
A shivaree, or charivari, or chivaree is a North American term for a clamorous salutation made to a newlywed couple by an assembled crowd of neighbors and friends. The shivaree was often conducted in the middle of the night with the party of friends and neighbors sneaking up on the couple's home, perhaps in hopes of catching them in a "compromising position". They would bring pots and pans to bang on or other noise makers, and sometimes a few men would stealthfully climb up on the roof (see "roof stomping"), to all start making as much noise as possible on the designated signal. This would of course wake up the couple and cause them to come outside, hopefully without loaded shotguns, to see what was going on. The assembled party would then wish them a blissful marriage, and the couple would of course be obligated to serve snacks and liquid refreshments to the gathered throng.
What fun!!
Hi Mary, Well!!! This sure does show up my age!!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't thought about a shivaree for a long time!
My brother Don and and his wife Ruth were married in 1945. I would have been around 7 years old. I woke up and heard loud noises and all kinds of going's on! Whew!! Here came some people with my new sister in law and I thought something terrible had happened until my Mom said, "oh, no this is a shivaree and it is for fun!!! This all happened late in the evening too! I think my Mom cooked coffee! That is what they called it back then in our Swedish community!
That took me back a day or two!!! LOL and Congrats to Denise! How neat for her!! Hugs, Carolyn
I remember Shivarees tho embarassment wise ,thankfully never had one. Still in retrospect , what fun party it must have been .....a fond memory that has gone by the way in our busy lives...
ReplyDeleteThat does sound like allot of fun.
ReplyDeleteWhen we got married one of the guests tried to kidnap me wich is another tradition, but I kicked to hard & he gave up.
That is a great memory. I think I would be thinking, are these people sane? Glad that you have so many great memories.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of a "shivaree"! That is so interesting and I can well imagine how embarrassed you both were when everyone came into the bedroom! lol See, I'm never too old to learn something new:-) xoxo
ReplyDeleteOops, forgot to say congratulations to Denise for being your winner:-) I've no doubt she is thrilled!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Denise!
ReplyDeleteHave a great new week
loved this post..
Love, jess
Denise...congratulations on being the winner of my book. Mary, thank you for taking the time to post my interview and a review of my book. Thank you EVERYONE for posting a comment. It was so nice to get to interact with Mary's friends. I hope each of you will consider picking up a copy of my newest book and let me know what you think if you read it.
ReplyDeleteBlessings & hugs!! Miralee
Denise...congratulations on being the winner of my book. Mary, thank you for taking the time to post my interview and a review of my book. Thank you EVERYONE for posting a comment. It was so nice to get to interact with Mary's friends. I hope each of you will consider picking up a copy of my newest book and let me know what you think if you read it.
ReplyDeleteBlessings & hugs!! Miralee
I have only taken part in a "chivarie" (I know I spelled that wrong) once and that was while visiting with my aunt. I loved it!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Denise for winning the give away!
God bless.
I know Denise will so love the book!! Have a great week ..m.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a fun story! That is amazing that you were treated to a shivaree! Actually I always thought it was something just done in the southern states, but I see I was wrong. I remember as a child watching an episode of The Waltons when a couple was shivareed but they actually did the traditional "kidnap the groom" thing!
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma told me when I was a small child about shivarees and how folks had so much fun when they held one for a newlywed couple. I remember too observing one of these events. My neighbor, two doors over, had a sister who lived in the Philadelphia area and when she married back in the mid-50s, she was considered quite old as a bride -being in her early 40s. (It was her first (and only) marriage. Anyway, she had come up here to visit her brother, our neighbor, bringing her new husband up to introduce him to her family. The first evening they were here on their visit, her brother had arranged with other members of their family to have a shivaree for them and it was quite the noisy -and very fun-filled -occasion. Needless to say, her husband - a city boy - was pretty surprised over this shindig!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Mary,
ReplyDeleteThought I had better drop by and vizit for a bit. I did another pot this morning and aded some mor pics. We still have Snow on the ground her. It will all melt aay y tomorrow tho as the temps warm up. Ihaave head of older people talkng aobout the shiareeing. Before I got married someladies I wrk3d with sad they were going to so that to me. LOL. Thery never eid tho. Take care and GOD bless.
LOVE,
aren H.
What cool memories and traditions...to bad we have left some of those things behind.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary,
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting story :) I've heard the term "shivaree" but never knew anyone that had one.
Fun tradition :)
Congrats to your book winner!
xo
I love to read about Shivarees! Such a wonderful old custom.
ReplyDeleteMary-thank you for your well wishes. I missed visiting with you while I was sick. Thankfully I'm on the mend.
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ReplyDeletewho are not already. Cheers!
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