Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-06
CURIOUS WEDDING GIFTS.
CUSTOMS ATTENDING THEIR Be
sT0wAL IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
Utility Rather Than Origin OF
the Morgengabe and the
Welsh Biddings.

w hstt choii We 5Shu 1S Il WSuulliE pISS-
something useful or something orna-
mental?" How often this question is
asked by people who wish to remember
their friends on their nuptial day. If we
are without the pale of consanguinity or
affinity we fear to transgraess etiquette by
sending useful articles, unless, indeed, we
are on terms of the closest friendship. On
the other hand every one feels that it
would be far wiser to send something use
full, so that the gifts may escape the fate OF
so many wedding presents that are stored
away in trunks or deposited in the vaults
and safes of banks.
In the matter of wedding presents our
forefathers displayed a degree of taste and
Judgment that the present generation
might well follow.
Among the Greeks it was formerly the
custom for friends to send to the newly
married people what were known as the
unveiling presents, because they were
given on the occasion of the brides first
appearance unveiled She was seated in
her apartment, with a gilt crown on her
head, and there she received the presents
of her guests. Among the Romans both
parties gave presents to those friends who
had negotiated or favored their marriage.
The custom of sticking coins on the bride
groom's forehead is common to several
Eastern races, among others to the Turco-
mans and Moors of West Barbary. The
bridegroom On these occasions is placed
within a circle of dancers, and the guests
and bystanders, wetting small coins place
them on his forehead All the money
thus collected is added to the dowry of the
couple. As the coins are put on the bride.
grooms forehead the attending servants
shake them off into a basket, which is
placed in his lap, his eyes being mean
while shut, and the name of the donor
and the value of the gift are announced.
With modern Arabians the bridegroom
makes the bride presents, which are sent a
day or two before the nuptials. As soon
as the bride reaches the bridegroom's
house she makes him presents of household
furniture, spear and a tent. The mar
riage contract among the Persians stipu-
lates for the settlement of numerous
presents, in addition to a certain sum of
money. If the bridegroom is in moderate
circumstances, he gives mis- bride two CON-
plete dresses, ring and a mirror. He
also supplies the furniture, carpets, mats,
culinary utensils and other necessaries for
their home. Presents are exchanged be-
tween the bride and bridegroom on the
evening before an Armenian wedding.
The introduction of the Chinese method
in the United States would revolutionize
the present etiquette in respect to present
making. With the Celestials the family
of the bridegroom make presents to the
family of the br de of various articles a
few days before the day fixed for the mar
riage. The presents generally consist OF
food, cock and hen, the leg and foot of a
bread, eight torches, three pairs of large
red candles, a quantity of vermicelli and
several punches of frecrackers. Two or
three days before the time fixed for the
wedding red card is sent by the family OF
the bride to that of the bridegroom, stat
ing the quantity of furniture that will be
furnished as the brides dowry.
In Siam, all the guests mnst bring pres
ents. Swedish brides used to receive from
their friends pig, sheep or COW, and from
the bridegroom colt, dog, cat or goose.
Among the wealthier classes the couple
sat on raised platform under canopy OF
silk on their wedding day, and their pres
ents, consisting of plate, jewels and money,
were arranged on silk-covered bench be-
fore them
The lee for the officiating priest at a
wedding in Norway and Sweden formerly
consisted of present of one or more blad-
ders filled with a high seasoned mince OF
different kinds of meat, and also bottle
or two of brandy. Every guest at Nor
wegian wedding brought the bride pres
ent. In many parts keg of butter was
the usual gift, and if the marriage took
place in the winter, salted or frozen meat
was offered. Among the early Germans
money was given to the brides relatives
on the wedding day, but this usage was
not followed if the marriage happened to
be an unequal one. Men of rank who had
lost their wives, but had children, in order
to avoid burdening their estates, married
low-born women, who, bringing no fortune,
were not entitled to dover. In such cases
the husband gave his wife such gifts as a
pair of oxen for plowing, harnessed
horse, a buckler, a lance and sword, to
signify that she ought not to lead an idle
and luxurious life, but should be partner
with him in his labors and companion of
his dangers. The wife, likewise, gave her
husband arms
The morgengabe, or morning gift, was
probably founded on the custom of the
husband making presents. AT first the
morgengabe was a present made by the
husband to his wife on the morning after
his marriage Sometimes it was chain
of gold or jewel, and at others a portion
of the husbands fortune. Formerly such
a present was given at every marriage,
but later only at the weddings of the
nobility. This custom was often carried
to great excess, the bride having the pIivi-
lege of asking for any sum of money, or,
in fact, anything that she pleased, and
which could not, in honor, be refused by
the husband. The demand sometimes was
very exorbitant, if the woman chose to be
avaricious; hence the laws limited the
amount to be given. "Pay weddings"
were general throughout Germany at one
time. At the entertainment which fol-
lOWtu TIE LldITldSt, llc SueStS ucpoSIleu
gold or silver money or jewelry in basin
which stood before the bride, who was
seated at a table with her female friends.
In other instances every visitor paid for
the refreshments which ne had, as at an
inn. Years ago it was common in some
parts of Germany, as well as in Holland
and France, to distribute at the weddings
of the upper classes, medals on which were
various devices. Presents were made at
the entertainment following the nuptial
ceremonies in France by all the guests who
were invited to be present. The presents
were deposited in basin that stood before
the couple, while music was being played.
The weddings in Wales were charac-
terized by several curious customs, among
which the Buildings" was one of the most
interesting. The richer people sent cir
cular letters to the guests by a paid bidder
or lnviter, in which letters it was stated
that any donations would be thankfully
received. In later years the custom of
sending bidding letters was so common
throughout Wales that the printers kept
bidding forms in type. The following ex-
ample of bidding letter, such as were dis
tributed fifty years ago, will prove inter-
esting to the present generation:
"We beg leave respectfully to aeduaint
you that it is our intention to enter the
matrimonial state on Tuesday, the 23d of