To ward off ghosts, brooms were (are) swung over the heads of married couples. At the end of the ceremony, the couple would frequently, but not always, jump over the broom. Jumping over the broom represented the wife's readiness to clean the courtyard of the new home she had moved into. The husband would then go and do likewise in his own yard.
This custom still exists in parts of Europe. For example, it is common in Wales for the father of the bride to throw a stick over the head of the mother of the groom. In Scotland, it is traditional for the two families to work together to build a small fire on which they burn salt and pepper. If there are no children under 16 in the wedding party, some people like to play a game with prizes. They call it "Broomball". Two teams get together - one member from each family throws a stick over their head as quickly as possible and tries to be the first to catch it on the other side. When they do this they have won a prize. Sometimes there is also a bucket of water or milk thrown in for good luck.
In the United States, the tradition of jumping the broom has been adopted by some couples as a way of showing their commitment to cleaning up their lives by getting rid of any baggage that may be holding them back from being happy. It is believed that by leaping over the broom, its negative energy will be released into the air where it can be swept away.
The leaping of the broom acted as an open expression of commitment to a marital connection. Jumping the broom was usually done in front of witnesses as a public ceremonial proclamation that a couple had chosen to get as near to wedded as was legally permitted at the time. This act marked the beginning of a new life together with all its responsibilities and pleasures.
In some cultures, such as that of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, brides and grooms would jump over a broomstick as a sign of their willingness to begin married life together. This practice is known as "broomsticking."
In other cultures, such as those of Africa and India, the groom would give the bride a silver or gold coin called a "bridal coin" as a gift for taking part in his marriage ceremony. She would then place it in a bowl filled with water as a promise to take it out again after she had settled down with her husband. If she did not do so, it would be taken as a sign that she did not love him enough to break away from her family to go live with him.
In yet other cultures, such as those of Central and South America, the bride would wear a necklace made up of coins that had been given to her by her fiancé's family.
Jumping over the broom represented marital love triumphant over evil and witchcraft. The custom might potentially be linked to a British variation of bringing the bride over the threshold. In certain British towns, brooms were put at the entrance of the room where the bride and groom would enter. If either party stepped on a stick of the broom it was thought that they had married happily ever after.
In some cultures, it is believed that if the couple does not go over the broom together, then they will never get married. This is why when you are planning your wedding, make sure you include both yourself and your spouse-to-be in all your plans and decisions.
Also, remember to have fun with this tradition! Don't worry about what other people think, just follow your heart and enjoy your wedding day.
This may also be done with two chairs or any other physical object that can be jumped over.
The jumping of the broom is an ancient practice dating back at least as far as 1485 B.C. The Ancient Egyptians used to jump their donkeys over their brides' baskets to ensure a happy marriage for these animals.
In Europe, it was not until the 16th century that the handclasp and kiss began to replace the jumping of the broom. In 1772, King George III of England introduced the kissing the ring ceremony as a replacement. Today, these are only part of the many variations of this ancient tradition.
People have been marrying each other in groups since the beginning of time. They needed all parties involved to live together so they had to make sure that nothing would come between those who were joined by blood ties. For this reason, everyone had to consent to the marriages. Whether it was father agreeing to marry off his young daughter, or brothers-in-law giving away their sisters, these were all part of the agreement before they married.
There is a popular misconception that the tradition originated with Ghanaian tribes. Scholars believe it all began in Wales. Wedding rituals can have strange, surprising, and sometimes even unsettling origins. The "jumping the broom" ritual is no exception. Few wedding traditions have so perplexed historians and folklorists. They have tried to explain why people used to jump over brooms, but no one has been able to give a fully satisfactory answer.
According to some sources, the custom started in medieval Europe when brides were believed to be unable to conceive unless they walked across a room while holding a burning stick or broom. As these girls were often very poor, having just one gold coin would make all the difference for their ability to raise a family. Thus, the coin was placed inside the handle of the broom, which was then jumped over by the bride and groom as they entered into marriage.
This story makes sense, since there are many countries in Europe where this practice still exists today. For example, Germany, Poland, and Sweden all require couples to walk across a room holding a burning torch or cane before they can marry. Even though these countries use different words to describe this ritual, all of them mean exactly the same thing.
In England, the tradition is known as "broom-passing".
Jumping the broom is a long-standing black wedding ritual. It was introduced to America by African slaves who wanted to celebrate their marriage with something other than a garden party or picnic. The bride and groom jump over a broom, symbolizing that the husband will sweep his wife out of trouble and into happiness.
In recent years, jumping the broom has become a popular way for young couples to mark their union. They go to a store and buy a broom, which is then given away as a gift after the wedding ceremony.
This ancient wedding custom still exists today in many parts of Africa where slavery once lived. Even though it is not practiced by all blacks, it is still considered important by some.
Also known as "sweeping someone under the rug", "flying the broom" or "bridal rampicruz".
The term "broom" used in this context refers to a ceremonial broom, which usually is made of wood and has sharp points on it. During the wedding, the couple jumps over the broom three times, representing that they will have love and happiness forever.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Anything For Family Inc.
