The Winslow mail. (Winslow, Ariz.) 1893-1926, 1925-05-26
GIFTS FOR THE
BRIDE
By MARGI HOPKINS.

Hume, the month Of brides, is
- near at hand and, although the
significance of the month in con-
nection with nuptual affairs is very
different now from that of ancient
times, still June brides seem to
outnumber those. of any other
month, and accordingly it behooves
most of us to plan a gift for at
least one friend as regularly as
the month rolls around.
In ancient days, June to the civ
ilized countries around the Medi-
terranean Sea was the month in
which crops grew to ripeness. So
it was that our sixth month of the
year, which was the fourth of the
old calendar, was the time when
prospective bridegrooms were most
prosperous and best able to assume
the duties of supporting a separate
household. Even though cfviliza-
ton has spread far away from the
Mediterranean Sea, to different CHI
mates and to different peoples, still
June is regarded as the month of
romance and hymeneal ceremonies,
and undoubtedly Winslow will con-
tribute her share to the seasons
newly-wed
1t is always a problem to know
what to give the bride, and yet
almost anything either useful or
decorative for the household is
suitable. In this connection the
local stores offer many suggestions
and really wonderful choice.
Appropriate Gifts.
Beautiful Japanese candlesticks.
green jade ware, German pottery
in the form of rustic appearing
vases and flower baskets, and lit
tie statuettes of synthetic marble
are among suggestions at one
store. Then there are neat and at
tractive pictures and panels at
reproductions of world
masterpieces or the painted scenes
of places Immediately around Wins
low. Still another store has just
received a lovely display of the
finest silverWare, featuring coffee
sets with the tray, cups and an
electric percolator, all to match
Odd pieces of furniture also make
acceptable gifts for the bride A
neat taberette, decorative table
or floor lamp, or a paneled mirror
to hang above her buffet are good
suggestions and an attractive selec-
ton of each of these articles can
be found with Winslow merchants.
Last, but not least, there is the
gift of linen, and here again the
local merchants can display
beautiful collection. At one store
there are some lovely little sets of
two guest towels and wash cloth
packed in neat gift boxes. At the
same place there are beautiful
table linen sets, table cloths and
napkins to match, also packed in
gift boxes Some have blue printed
borders, others have pink, and still
others are all white.
Attractive bedspreads of colored
crinkle crepe, too, would make nice
gifts, Then, as the word, bride, was
possibly derived, according to the
dictionary, from a Teutonic root,
bru, meaning a cook, there are the
pyrex dishes, hand-painted dishes
and other articles connected with
executing the culinary art which
most certainly would be appropri-
ate.
History of Customs.
In regard to brides and weddings,
it is interesting to note that the
custom of showering bridal pairs
with rice and bits of wedding cake
is one which has come to us
through many ages, also.
The bride cake" had it's origin in
the Roman "confarreatio," a form
of marriage, the essential features
of which were the eating by the
couple of cake made of salt,
water and flour, and the holding
by the bride of three wheat heads.
which was considered symbolic of
plenty Eventually it became the
custom for her friends to stand
outside the porch step and throw
grains of wheat over her as she
left the church with the groom
after the ceremony. Afterward a
scramble for the grains took place.
In time the wheat grains were
cooked into thin, dry biscuits which
were later broken over the brides
head In Scotland an oatmeal cake
is still used for this purpose. The
custom of having men attendants
stand with the groom at the we'd
ding savors of the primitive days
of marriage by capture, when a
man called his friends to assist