Traci Kinsler stopped in Monday to talk about Habitat for Humanity (you won't believe the amount of work they've taken on) and we had some strange history behind long-time wedding traditions.
Habitat For Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is currently working on three homes...and one of them is their first ever duplex. Wow! The reason is they are finishing up the details on the duplex, so they started on their next project already. They usually only do one house at a time, but because of a grant, they now have to do two houses at a time.
Because they doubled the houses, they need to double the volunteers. You can pitch is as little or as much as you want and you don't need to have any experience. They work every Saturday at the building sites. They even need volunteers to help with lunch.
To learn more or to volunteer, give them a call at 383-2007.
Wedding Traditions with Strange Histories
Ever wonder where those familiar wedding rituals came from. Many customs are as old as love itself, dating back to Roman times or before, according to expert Carley Roney, editor of theknot.com, a wedding-planning web site.
For example, the traditional white color of the wedding gown is popular because "in ancient Roman times, white was a color of celebration," she said.
"The tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other on their wedding day comes from the ancient tradition of the bride not showing her face to the groom at all before the wedding," said Roney, author of "The Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions."
Here are the origins of other popular wedding traditions, according to Roney:
- Carrying the bride over the threshold -- An ancient superstition held that evil spirits collected on the threshold of the new home waiting to invade the bride through the soles of her feet, a disaster that could be avoided if she entered in her husband's arms.
- The bride's veil -- The centuries-old practice of hiding the bride's face was intended to preserver her modesty. Romans covered the bride in yellow cloth.
- Groomsmen -- These friends of the groom have been present at weddings since ancient times, when brides were often captured by force and the new husband needed allies to help him fend off her family.
- The bridal train -- The long trailing train on gowns dates back to the Middle Ages when the higher the bride's social standing, the longer the material she dragged down the aisle.
- Throwing rice -- Grains were thought in ancient times to symbolize fertility, so scattering them over the bridal couple ensured they'd have many children.
- The wedding ring -- Its circular shape is believed to symbolize endless love, Ancient Egyptians began the tradition of placing it on the third finger of the left hand because they believed that the vein in that finger ran directly to the heart.
- Tossing the bouquet -- Centuries ago, wedding guests would tear at the bride's flowers and clothes to share her happiness, so the bride tossed her bouquet to ensure she got away in one piece.
- Tossing the garter -- The scramble for the bride's garter dates back to a medieval tradition in which wedding guests invaded the bridal chamber to steal the bride's stockings for good luck. To avoid this calamity, a groom tossed the garter to his friends.
Weather Kid
Our last Weather Kid for this school year from George Washington Elementary was today. Mrs. Gustin had to chase him down, but guard Jacob Lester jumped in and did a great job. You can find audio downloads of our Weather Kids here.
Coming Up
On Tuesday we're talking to Gail Martin from the Historical Society about their latest exhibit "Women's Work is Never Done" and their free, that's right, FREE, summer programs for kids.
We'll also get an update on Relay for Life and their big event from last weekend.