In England, Bachelorette Parties of a Different Stripe - The New York Times The New York Times Weddings |For British Brides-to-Be, Hen Dos (and Don’ts) Search Continue reading the main story MY friends still talk about a bachelorette party in Lake George, N.Y., that featured an exotic dancer dressed as a police officer who bore an uncanny resemblance to Patrick Swayze — with an extra 100 or so pounds. It was, they agreed, sort of the standard for American bachelorette parties: a cringe-inducing mix of flash and trash with just enough of the latter to ensure that no pictures would ever be posted on Facebook. But in England, where I once lived, the bachelorette party known as the hen do (the “hen” being the bride, and “do,” a Britishism for a shindig) is an entirely different creature, something I fervently wish American brides would import.

In some English circles, the hen do is a weekend-long ritual of love and admiration for the bride given by her friends, who with conspiratorial help from with her fiancé, use traditional games with a dash of British quirk to create an experience that can be as emotional as the wedding itself. Continue reading the main story And you don’t have to burn the photos. At least, not usually. In September, just before 7 a.m. on a Friday, 16 London women plus one jet-lagged Yank (me), hauled a bewildered bride-to-be across St. Pancras International train station in London to the Eurostar rail terminal to catch a cross-channel train that took us to a frayed chateau we had rented in Normandy. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Not that the bride, Catherine Lynch, knew any of this. That morning, Ms. Lynch, 32, an always-poised television executive, had been spirited, yawning and with no makeup, from her apartment in the wee hours. As is the traditional in a hen do, she had been told nothing of where the party was to be held.

In her hand was a suitcase that had been packed with her weekend’s wardrobe in secret by her younger sister, Tina. I was to discover that every detail of a hen do is like that perfectly packed suitcase: a statement of deep sororal love for the bride. A hen do like that one is something like a bat mitzvah for young women, a coming-of-age party spent surrounded by the women who were instrumental in getting them to this seminal point in their lives. Camilla Morton, a British fashion journalist and author of “How to Walk in High Heels: a Girl’s Guide to Everything” (and for whom I once was an intern), said that the hen do evolved from the customary conclave of a bride and her maids, who would gather a short time before the wedding to go over the final details. From that, “came about the image of the clucking hen party, when girls come together and cluck about the upcoming nuptials, dress, handsome groom and so on,” she said.

The centerpiece of nearly every hen do is a game called “Mister and Missus.” The bride’s friends interview her fiancé, asking him about her dislikes and likes and how he feels about her, and then compare his answers to hers. My friends raised the ante with a video version. The questions can be as mundane as “What’s her favorite book?” and “What is the thing you regret most?” (as well as some embarrassing ones thrown in for good measure). After each question is asked, the video is paused while the bride must predict his answer. Inside the weathered chateau, we all got teary as the image of Ms. Lynch’s fiancé, projected on a wall, answered the question, “At what moment did you realize you were in love with her?” At another hen do I attended, my friend Holly Murray composed a quiz in which every answer incorporated all or part of the bride’s name, Orla Thomas. For example: Name an important counselor to Henry VIII who was later imprisoned and beheaded, in 1535, over his refusal to sign the Act of Supremacy of 1534?

(It’s Sir Thomas More, but try coming up with that after a few glasses of prosecco.) Photo Credit Tom BLoom At my first American bachelorette party a few years ago, we went to Lucky Cheng’s, a drag cabaret in the East Village. At each table were other brides, most in skimpy bridal costumes complete with mock veils, throwing back shots and getting into bawdy mock arguments with the drag queens, who trafficked in insult humor. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Between innuendo-laden dance routines and the nonstop put-downs the drag queens hurled, the message of the typically tawdry bachelorette party seemed at once crass and old fashioned: your youth is over, drink up while you’re still free. When the hen do as we now know it originated is rather murky, but the parties became more popular in the 1960s, as women sought an experience of their own to rival the male pre-wedding ritual, the bachelor party. Hen dos like the one in Normandy are a more recent evolution, and to be sure, the drink-till-you drop, hyper-sexualized pre-wedding party exists in England, too.

Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy On a weekend trip to Brighton, a midnight stroll in that coastal resort brought me face to face with dozens of young women in the same kind of scanty outfits I had seen in the United States, with big beauty-pageant-type sashes denoting “bride” across nearly exposed chests. As the night waxed on, women crumpled in various states of disrepair, or else teetered, held up by friends after a night of binge drinking. Indeed, English newspapers routinely print editorials railing against that vein of hen do, and the male equivalent (a stag do), many of which take place in Amsterdam, the revels often fueled by drugs as well as alcohol. Ms.

Morton called those dos “something that only a packet of Advil and memory loss will heal.” She attributed the current trend of the tamer, bride-centric love fest to “the Downton effect,” or “too many years reading Jane Austen.” Carol Murray, the mother of my friend Holly Murray, wrote in an e-mail that when she got married in 1980, “it was just your close girlfriends going out for supper the week before the wedding.” She said she preferred that approach. “I find all the hysteria they seem to involve rather trying,” she said. But, she added, “times do change.” Yes, even the calmer, weekend-away hen do can be taken to excessive heights. “Bridesmaids feel the pressure to make sure the party that they throw is the best ever,” said Kim Taylor Bennett, who helped organize Ms. Lynch’s party. “It’s like a running joke, how many times can you make the bride cry. It’s got to be the most memorable.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Before her wedding to Jamie Hince, the model Kate Moss was reported to have taken her friends to a music festival on the Isle of Wight, arriving in two pink stretch Hummers.

Kate Middleton is rumored to have had a pop-music-themed hen, meticulously arranged by her sister, Pippa. Still, in England, brides who do not care for excessive drinking while watching half-naked male dancers do not feel as if they have missed out on a rite of passage. After dinner on our first night in Normandy, we retired to an anteroom, which Ms. Lynch’s seven bridesmaids had covertly decorated. Photographs of her and her friends from every year of her life covered the walls. We cranked up the music and danced — with no porky Patrick Swayze look-alikes in sight — sending off our friend into marriage as our younger selves watched, beaming from the photographs all around the room. “Everything is about making the bride feel like the most loved, amazing, brilliant person in the world,” Holly Murray wrote in an e-mail on the difference between the hen do and the bachelorette party. “It’s about putting a lot of effort in so that every moment feels special and by design.” “Can someone else get married please?” she added.

“I want to go to another one.” A version of this article appears in print on December 2, 2012, on Page ST20 of the New York edition with the headline: For British Brides-to-Be, Hen Dos (and Don’ts). Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe What is a Hen Party? (with pictures) What is a Hen Party? Last Modified Date: 14 December 2016 Copyright Protected: 10 most extreme places on Earth A hen party is a festive celebration held before a wedding, and attended by the bride and her female friends. These parties are basically the female equivalent of the male bachelor party or stag party. Known as "bachelorette parties" in the United States, and "stagette parties" in Canada, they are called "hen parties" or "hen nights" in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. This type of party is usually planned by the brides’ closest friends, often the maid of honor or bridesmaids. The festivities can be held in a public place, such as a restaurant or bar, or may be held in a private home or rented room. The location often depends on the amount of exuberance expected of guests.

Some celebrations can get quite wild, with frenzied dancing and inappropriate behavior. Alternately, a day of drinking champagne at a day spa would be considered a tame version. Unlike a bridal shower with young girls in attendance, the hen party is strictly for adult women. Bringing a gag gift is de rigueur, with lighthearted male-bashing a favorite theme. Gifts are meant to cause a bit of blushing and gales of laughter, if possible. Drinking of alcohol and freeform dancing may be encouraged as the party unfolds. The women will “let down their hair,” but generally watch out for one another to see that no one is ever in danger. Ad There is a wide range of options when it comes to planning the entertainment for a hen party. The general idea is to celebrate the last moments of single life and the new life that will unfold. Planners will be wise to listen carefully to the likes and dislikes of the bride, and let the nature of her personality set the tone for the festivities. An afternoon cocktail party with a few naughty games will suffice for some brides, while others prefer a wild night of dancing and slamming shots.

On the other hand, some brides will completely shun the idea of a raucous night of drinking in favor of a spa day with the bridal party, including soothing massages, manicures and pedicures, and other lavish pampering. The word “hen” in the title is a reference to female chickens. In the U.S., the term is considered somewhat derogatory toward women, and the time of sexual equality, any gathering of women and girls might have been classified as a hen party. The parties held by today's women have nothing to do with the innocent quilting bees of old, except for female bonding. Ad fify Post 9 My hen party was in the UK, I had a party organizer take care of it for me. It wasn't very expensive and they came up with so many unique hen night ideas and activities we could do. I just picked what I like. They organized the whole event and even had free gifts for us. It's worth the trouble to plan yourself in my opinion. bear78 Post 8 @ysmina-- There are so many fun and naughty hen party games. They're relatively easy to come up with too, just use your imagination. Locale and food can be the major costs involved with a hen party.

But many restaurants offer special fixed price menus for parties. You can even have the party at home if you want to save money. My sister-in-law did a house party for her hen do and we had a beautician come over and give us facials and makeovers. Then we played games, watched our favorite films, ate and drank. It was a lot of fun, we didn't get stressed out and it was also a sleep-over so no one had to worry about driving home. It was genuinely a great night. ysmina Post 7 What can I do for a hen night party on a budget? The attendees will all be adults so it can be a little on the naughty side. I certainly don't want to bore people. It can't be too crazy either though because I don't know some of the ladies who are invited. Please help! anon261634 Post 6 Naughty-shaped piñatas are a fun trend which takes "lighthearted male-bashing..." to a new level. Papier-mâché or cardboard moulds covered with brightly coloured paper, piñatas are typically filled with sweets and beaten with a stick until the contents come whizzing out.

Fun for a hen party, phallic-shaped goodies, jokes, condoms and sweets are hilarious. Look online for inspiration. anon231717 Post 5 We love hen parties. In the US they are bachelorette parties, which is the term they use. anon151522 Post 4 @naturegurl3: it is good you know what you want. Now just find what will be enjoyable. You could opt for an afternoon tea in London or maybe wine tasting and a spa. yournamehere Post 3 @naturesgurl3 -- Oh wow. You can really go a lot of directions with hen party accessories. Kind of like hen parties themselves, the accessories span the spectrum from very innocent to quite naughty. If you're looking for pretty tame ones, you might consider getting your sister a veil or a fun tiara. Some places even sell sashes that say "Bride to Be" or "Hen Party". They also have accessories for the friends, like little bottles of bubbles, t-shirts, boas, you name it. That way she can feel special, and you guys can have fun without getting too crazy. naturesgurl3 Post 2 What are some good hen party accessories?

My sister is getting married and I want to throw her a mature, but not too boring party. Any ideas? Home Of Hen Party Ideas And Amazing Hen Weekends | Hen Heaven 10,000’s of hens already work with us, why? Cannot recommend hen heaven enough! Hen Heaven created a bespoke package for my sisters hen party that was not only exceptional value for money, but was well organised and flawless. - Leoni Ireland Helpful and professional I liked that i didn't have the hassle of collecting the money. Everything was clear, easy and hassle free. The website is very easy to use. - Laura Gillespie Why book with us? So, you’ve been entrusted with planning an unforgettable weekend for your best friend and fellow hens. Fantastic! But that doesn't mean you have to deal with the stress of planning every minute of everyone's day for the whole weekend! 15 years experience Over 70 Hen party cities 10,000 Hens parties booked 100's of Hen packages Financial protection No need to worry, everyone here at Hen Heaven promises to help.

We have over 10 years' experience in making sure that you and thousands upon thousands of hen parties give the bride the best send-off possible, all without the stress of finding the best hotels and the best things to do, at the best possible prices. Combining our endless knowledge of exciting activities, the tastiest places to eat, drink and party with our buying power, street cred, and reputation and you're guaranteed to have the perfect hen weekend. The road to the perfect hen party starts here. Hen Party Activities, Ideas & Hen Do Inspiration at GoHen.com Hens rate GoHen Based on 1200 reviews. It’s never too early to look into arranging the hen party activities and you’re in a great place to start doing just that, you can choose between a huge range of fantastic options from cocktail making to cheerleading, massages to even recording your own hen weekend single! With over 150 tried and tested hen weekend activities listed, we hope you find exactly what you need to set you up for an exceptional day. And if we don’t just let us know we’ll be glad to look into - we put the “go” into the hen do! Time for a little HEN-SPIRATION! Create your hen!

Planning your hen activities... Supporting your hen weekend activities all the way Don’t forget at GoHen you get your own personal contact and event team support so you can be confident we’re here to help you get it perfect, every step of the way. You can also be confident with our huge experience and unrivalled professionalism, you’re going to get the best hen do activities for the budget. And every week we look into our feedback to ensure we’re constantly improving your experiences. GOHEN GOLD: How to get more out of your hen party activities Great events are usually the ones with the best planning coupled with great participants, you can’t please all the people all of the time but you can swing things in your favour with some efficient and sensitive preparation. These 11 clued up tips should help you get the best out of the hen weekend action. PICK WELL > selection is worth taking your time on, you want hen do activities that the bride prefers and that’ll also work for the group as a whole – challenging as it may seem at first your job as organiser is to ensure everyone enjoys it! Understand that and you’re already on the way to a more successful event.

DETAIL > make sure you know exactly what you’re getting, that way you’re well informed which means you can manage group expectations and stay one step ahead. TIMING > double check activity scheduling works well with any other plans you’re making, from arrivals to departures to any necessary transfer and recovery time you and the girls may need. (Another reason for planning as early as possible). And make sure everyone turns up on time! VENUES > ensure you disclose all requirements in advance so that any preferences can be met. If you’re doing more than one activity, complementary locations can be a necessary consideration to get the best from your itinerary. In any case why not call your venues in advance and tell them you’re really looking forward to coming, it could well stimulate a little extra VIP service. DIRECTIONS > make sure you and everyone else in the group knows where they’re headed. That way you can stick to timing as mentioned above. TRANSFERS > think about whether you need to arrange any transfers, if you don’t need them clearly coordinating transport within the group is great idea. CLOTHING > if you need to, make sure you tell the girls in advance how to dress for any hen party activities.

If you’re an “extra miler” you might also want to check the weather forecast. REFRESHMENTS > after the action the girls might be hungry or thirsty or both, do you want to arrange some refreshment on site or nearby or on the return journey or can you wait until you get back? Is it a good time for a celebration cake, a couple of bottles of bubbly, a snack, lunch or something else. Who said strip-o-gram? CONTROL > don’t be knocked off course or influenced by other members of the group, you’re the organiser, you know what you’ve arranged and staying in control means sticking to the plan. Hen Power! HEALTH > make sure the girls tell you if they have any concerns so that they may be relayed and or considered, for example some hen party activities have restrictions, especially for pregnancy. At the very least make certain everybody has been advised to get any appropriate insurance. ENJOY > it’s a fun hen do not an exam! Being efficient and prepared from the outset really will avoid any unnecessary pressure, stay on top and believe it or not you should enjoy the hen party activities as well!

But if you really want to get it right and most likely save time, hassle and money why not drop us a brief today , you’ll be glad you did. Call us on... How To Organize An Awesome Hen Party / Bachelorette Party Remember a few months back, when those clever folks at Chillisauce shared their top 10 chic and unique hen party/bachelorette activity ideas ? Well they're back with some top tips on the nitty gritty of organising the perfect hen do. I suggest leaving this post open accidentally on purpose next time your maid of honour pops round... Actually, scrap that, I'd recommend ALL brides be as upfront about what they want for their hen do as possible. It'll make their maid of honour's life a whole lot easier and ensure the bride has a night to remember for all the right reasons! Top Do's & Don't for Organizing a Hen Party You've landed yourself the maid of honor gig, and now you have lots of planning to do. One of your biggest responsibilities is to make sure your bride-to-be has the time of her life before her big day at her hen party. So let's get started with what to do, and then we'll move on with what not to do!

Do ask for help, don't do it alone Ask other bridesmaids to chip in and help you out. Ask your bride-to-be specific questions about what she has in mind, and what she doesn't want. Look online for guidance. (FYI Chillisauce has a huge variety of hen do activities and packages ~ they can even help with the planning too!) photo via LIFE Do set a budget, don't break the bank Being in charge of throwing the hen party, doesn't mean it is your responsibility to pay for the entire event. Ask everyone invited, especially girls in the wedding party to chip in equally. Set your budget early on, and then set the number each person pays. The earlier you set your hen party budget, the better chance you have of getting money collected from all of the girls. Do ask the bride questions, don't surprise her with something she hates Every bride-to-be is different, and thus has different taste. Some brides want to go to the bar with their girlfriends and party the night away. While other brides want to hit up the local museum, and have a late lunch. It is your responsibility as the head honcho to figure out what your bride-to-be wants her hen party to be like.

Big boozed filled bash or quiet luncheon? Do think about traditional hen parties, don't be afraid to step outside the box Sure, tradition is great but switching things up a bit is fun too. Ask your bride-to-be if she wants her hen party to be the traditional ladies night, or if she would like to coordinate a coed party with her fiance. These days it's not unheard of for the couple to want to celebrate together with their mutual friends. Do buy fun party favors, don't embarrass your bride-to-be You know your best friend or sister more than anyone else, so you know if passing out penis necklaces is going to make her uncomfortable or make her laugh. Every hen party should have fun party favors, but it is up to you to make them fitting for your bride-to-be's taste. Make your guests leave with a favor that makes them remember your unforgettable hen party! Hope this better helps all you ladies in charge of party planning! Good luck! Many thanks to Rebecca from Chillisauce for sharing these fab tips.

Having just helped to organise my gorgeous, soon to be wed, cousin's hen do (photos coming soon!) and after organizing my darling friend Kelly's hen do last year, I'd like to add a few more tips: Do make it personal, don't just make it another night out Show the bride to be how special she is to you with personal and thoughtful touches such as doing an activity she loves, incorporating photos of her when she was little / photos of the girls and her / messages from the rest of the girls ~ these can be printed onto cupcakes, bunting or in a keepsake book. Put a playlist together of her favourite tunes or pop her favourite girly film on to play while you're getting ready. Have her favourite cocktail / mocktail on hand or even simply request her favourite song from the DJ. Little, inexpensive details like these will make her feel special on this once in a lifetime kind of day (and hopefully, when it's your turn, she'll return the favour!) Do make sure you get everyone's email addresses / contact details in good time Send out an email outlining the day, so everyone knows what to expect and be prepared to send out quite a few reminder emails.

Honestly getting a bunch of busy women to respond to emails / get stuff done can be a nightmare! Do consider some kind of prop(s) Lots of brides to be will enjoy being the center of attention for one night only (other than on their wedding day of course) so give them a prop or two to make it clear who the hen is in your party. If sashes or veils aren't her thing, why not raid a fancy dress shop for funny wigs, sunglasses, angel wings or princess crowns? Little props like these can be worn for a few fun photos then easily removed. Or why not have the bride wear all white and tie a pretty coloured balloon around her waist? Do take flats in your bag / a cute tote and encourage the bride to be to do the same This is advisable on a standard night out but essential on a sure to be messy hen party / bachelorette party!

(Blisters and plasters are not a good bridal/bridesmaid look.) styled bachelorette party photos by Morgan Trinker via Style Me Pretty Don't be nervous about meeting everyone (This is one I struggled with, being rather shy at the best of times but I soon got over it.) You and the other ladies may all come from different backgrounds but you're all there for one reason ~ to give your friend/sister, the hen, a fabulous celebration and to have fun! Trust me, all the hen wants is for everybody to get along and have a good time. So embrace your differences, enjoy getting to know a new group of people ~ who knows you make new friends and you'll definitely have a few friendly faces to chat to on the wedding day. What are you planning for your hen do? Have you got any more dos or don'ts for organising a hen party / bachelorette party? Do share! More Hen Do / Bachelorette Party Ideas: Hen - Idioms by The Free Dictionary Hen - Idioms by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Medical , Acronyms , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Don't let the fox guard the henhouse.

Don't assign the duty of protecting or controlling valuable information or resources to someone who is likely to exploit that opportunity. You're going to put your ex-convict brother-in-law in charge of your business? I can't tell you how to run your company, but don't let the fox guard the henhouse. See also: fox , guard , let fox guarding the henhouse A person likely to exploit the information or resources that he or she has been charged to protect or control. My sister is going to put her ex-convict brother-in-law in charge of her business, and I'm worried he'll be like a fox guarding the henhouse. See also: fox , guard , henhouse henpeck (someone) Of a woman, to thoroughly and continually dominate, intimidate, bully, or browbeat (a man), especially her boyfriend, partner, or husband. Janet is usually so nice, but when she's around her husband, she just henpecks him relentlessly. See also: henpeck henpecked Of a man, thoroughly and continually dominated, intimidated, bullied, or browbeaten by a woman, especially his wife or girlfriend.

John used to be the most adventurous, spontaneous guy I knew, but since he got married, he's become totally henpecked. I hope I never become some henpecked husband like my father was. See also: henpeck rarer than hens' teeth Incredibly scarce or rare; extremely difficult or impossible to find. Support for the president is rarer than hens' teeth in this part of the country. See also: teeth scarcer than hens' teeth Incredibly scarce or rare; extremely difficult or impossible to find. Support for the president is scarcer than hens' teeth in this part of the country. See also: scarcer , teeth (as) rare as hens' teeth Incredibly scarce or rare; extremely difficult or impossible to find. Support for the president is as rare as hens' teeth in this part of the country. See also: rare , teeth (as) mad as a wet hen Enraged; extremely or inconsolably angry. My dad was mad as a wet hen after I crashed his car. You make me as mad as a wet hen with the way you carry on sometimes, you know that?

See also: hen , mad , wet a mother hen A person who looks out for the welfare of others, especially to a fussy, intrusive, or overprotective degree. Jenny can be a bit of a mother hen when we're out at the bars. I wish she would just relax a little and let us have a good time! My dad is pretty relaxed about most things, but he can be a bit of a mother hen when it comes to who I hang out with. See also: hen , mother fox in the henhouse Someone with bad intentions. (A fox would prey upon hens in a henhouse.) I'd watch out for him if I were you—he walks around here like a fox in the henhouse. See also: fox , henhouse fussy as a hen with one chick Extremely anxious and overprotective. A: "I can't believe your curfew is only nine o'clock." B: "Yeah, my mom can be fussy as a hen with one chick sometimes." See also: chick , hen , one hens' teeth Something very scarce (because hens have no teeth).

Typically used in phrases like "rarer than hens' teeth." I can hardly believe your brother got an A on his final exam—grades like that are rarer than hens' teeth for him! See also: teeth hen's tooth Something very scarce (because hens have no teeth). Typically used in phrases like "as scarce as a hen's tooth." I can hardly believe your brother got an A on his final exam—grades like that are as scarce as a hen's tooth for him! See also: tooth hen night A social gathering for women, especially a bachelorette party. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. The girls at work planned a hen night for Sarah since she is due to get married soon. See also: hen , night hen party A social gathering for women, especially a bachelorette party. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. The girls at work planned a hen party for Sarah since she is due to get married soon. See also: hen , party He that would have eggs must endure the cackling of hens. Prov. You must be willing to endure unpleasant, irritating things in order to get what you want. Sue: I'm tired of working after school.

All the customers at the store are so rude. Mother: But you wanted money to buy a car. He that would have eggs must endure the cackling of hens, dear. See also: scarce , teeth mad as a hornet Also, mad as hell or hops or a wet hen . Very angry, enraged as in Mary was mad as a hornet when her purse was stolen, or Upset? Dan was mad as hell, or The teacher was mad as a wet hen. The use of mad for "angry" dates from about 1300, but these similes are of much more recent vintage (1800s, early 1900s). The allusions to a hornet, which can launch a fierce attack, and hell, with its furious fires, are more obvious than the other variants. Mad as hops was first recorded in 1884 and is thought to have been the writer's version of hopping mad ; mad as a wet hen, first recorded in 1823, is puzzling, since hens don't really mind water. See also: hornet , mad scarce as hen's teeth Also, scarcer than hen's teeth.

Exceptionally rare, as in On a rainy night, taxis are as scarce as hen's teeth. Since hens have no teeth, this term in effect says that something is so scarce as to be nonexistent. [Mid-1800s] See also: fruit , hen hen party n. a gossipy party attended by women. I have a hen party every few weeks. We love to get together. See also: hen , party Hen-ree! Henry Aldrich! Coming, Mother! Henry Aldrich was a very popular radio show that ran from 1939 to 1953. The title character was an awkward adolescent who was forever getting into hot water with his girlfriend and his other friends. The show began with Mrs. Aldrich calling, “Hen-ree, Henry Aldrich!” to which he would reply, “Coming, Mother!” The phrase's elements became 1940s catchwords for summoning and responding, respectively. See also: henry scarce as hen's teeth Nonexistent. Hens have no teeth, so what could possibly be scarcer? (Stones in their gizzards act as teeth to grind their food).

Dwarf stripper gets bride pregnant on her hen night - Telegraph Spain Dwarf stripper gets bride pregnant on her hen night Spanish woman admits she slept with a dwarf stripper on her hen night after giving birth to a baby with dwarfism It is not unusual for dwarfs to be hired as entertainers at hen and stag parties in Spain Photo: Alamy Follow A Spanish woman has been forced to confess to cheating on her husband-to-be on her hen night with a dwarf stripper after she gave birth to a baby with dwarfism. Her husband believed the baby was his and that it had been conceived during the honeymoon but his wife confessed to the infidelity after he repeatedly questioned doctors as to how the baby could have been born with dwarfism. The woman has not been named, but according to local reports she felt compelled to tell her husband after questions were raised by friends who had accompanied her on the hen night, which took place at the beginning of the year. Spanish website LasCincoDelDia, which broke the news, said: “Neither her closest female friends or her family knew she had sex with the midget stripper but once she had her son in her arms, she broke down and confessed what had happened.

"As you can imagine no-one that sleeps with a stripper at her hen night broadcasts it or at least they try to take their secret to the grave. Related Articles Hen Party Games | Unique Hen Do Game Ideas Read below for more unique hen party games! Celebrity Heads This isn’t a hen specific game but works really well as an icebreaker. For those of you who haven’t played this, it’s a very simple game. All you need is some post its and pens. If you are a little miss crafty, you can put your own creative touch on the game tools! How it works Everyone sits around in a circle and writes down a celebrity name on a post it without anyone seeing. They then place it on the forehead of the person next to you. Everyone else does this so that all guests have a celebrity name on their forehead that they can’t see. The game then works around the circle with each person asking a question about their celebrity. They can only be given a yes or no answer. You keep going around until everyone has guessed who their celebrity is. For a fun hen party twist, maybe use celebrity brides or one half of a famous couple.

Memory Lane This is the perfect icebreaker for a hen party group who know the bride from different parts of her life, and don’t necessary know each other that well. There are various ways this game can be played. It’s also nice for the bride to be as it’s one of the personal games. How it works 1. Before the hen party, ask all the guests to think of a memory or when they first met the bride and write it on a piece of paper. 2. At the hen party, put all the memories into a hat and get the bride to pull them out one by one. 3. She will read the memory out and guess which of her friends it is. This also lets the other girls know how the other guests first met the bride to be. Even some who are friends with the other guests might be surprised. Let the guests know to be as funny, sentimental or embarrassing as they like! If you have any variations of this game you’d like to share, please let us know! Sweetheart Icebreakers A cute and tasty twist on breaking the ice for guests who don’t know everyone Get the mingling and party started with conversation cookies, a cute and unique addition to a hen party.

Especially good when guests don’t really know each other. Decorate some cookies with words using icing. You can theme the conversations however you like. From what’s hot on the Daily Mail gossip to wedding buzzwords to cities…. if you want to make it a focus on the bride to be, write down little things or words about her on the cookies and get people talking. It’s just a way to warm peoples tongues. A sugar kick always works! Don’t want to do cookies? Try cupcakes. If you don’t have time to decorate, play like the celebrity heads game. The Wine Tasting Game A non traditional party game which is perfect for a sophisticated hen party. Everyone votes for their favourite wine without seeing the label. What you need Bottle of wine (ask each guest to bring a bottle) Bags to keep the label covered. Wineglasses How it works Guests will taste each bottle of wine and vote for their favourite wine. The bottle with the most votes, wins! The person who brought the wine will then reveal how much the wine cost. Charades This is a classic game and a good fall back for any party in need of a boost.

The hen party spin on it is picking girlie charades themes – chick flicks and hot celebrities etc should be on the list . You can also add some more fun by adding people in her life from the groom, to her mother, inlaws, to ex-boyfriends to herself. Another option is changing the original charades format and getting the girls to work in pairs and to act out famous scenes from different chick flicks. Think the jumping routine in Dirty Dancing and the top of the world from Titanic. Be inspired by Legally Blonde, The Notebook, Clueless, How to lose a guy in 10 days, Mean Girls, Crazy Stupid Love, When Harry Met Sally, Breakfast at Tiffanys, Sleepless in Seattle, Pretty Woman, Bridesmaids and whatever girlie cheese you can think of! The Present Game Everyone brings a gift for the bride to be that reminds them of their friendship! You can line these up, put them in a bag or even hide them and send the bride to fine them. She then has to guess who brought the gift for her. Gifts can be anything, small, a poem, something handmade. A nice touch will be to photo her with each gift and the giver as you go along.

If you send her searching for the gifts, remember to take photos of this too .Photos photos photos!! Add some forfeits if she gets it wrong for the hen party twist. Another variation of this is the Panty Game. This is similar but all guests bring the bride to be a pair of knickers! She then has to guess who gave them to her. The Present Game is a big hen party hit. It’s thoughtful and also can act as an icebreaker! Pass the Parcel Relive your childhood fun by adapting this game or your hen party! The Prep For those of you who were not lucky enough to have played this party game, you simply wrap up one small gift. You then wrap the wrapped gift up with more paper and include another gift in that layer. You keep adding more layers and wrapping more gifts until you have everything included. The Gifts Our favourite way of doing this is getting the guests to bring a gift that reminds them of a memory with the bride to be. If you don’t want to go down this route, you can get small gifts for the game yourself. We’re thinking a candle, nail polish, shower caps, compact mirrors and whatever useful treats you can think of.

Massage oils and other naughty touches will be fun too but will depend on the 50 shades factor. To Play You’ll need some music playing with everyone around in a circle. Stop the music at intervals and the person holding the parcel gets to open it. If you decide to play our favourite way, the bride to be then has to guess who brought that gift and why they would have chosen that gift. This is a really nice way of sharing stories and memories with all the girls. The Special Touches Fix it so that the bride gets the last gift which is specifically for her. Have the wrapping paper as something the bride loves – a colour, animal etc Pick some songs that are personal to the bride to be. Guess the Lingerie Every guest brings a piece of lingerie (knickers / panties) for the bride to be. The bride to be must guess who brought her the lingerie. What you need Hangers Lingerie (provided by the guests who will need to be told beforehand- knickers, bras, slips, toys) Pen and paper for the bride to be How it works Each item is hung up on a hanger. Keep the bride to be busy so she doesn’t see who brought what.

The bride to be will look at each piece and guess who brought it for her. She can call out her guesses to see how she’s doing. If you want to involve alcohol, she can take a drink for every wrong guess!! This is also a good game to play at a lingerie shower! Banned Word Game This is really fun whether you stay in or head out. It is not specifically a hen party game but again, it works really well. Pick a few words that people are not allowed say for a period of time i.e. the grooms name, ‘wedding’, ‘party’, ‘myself’ etc. Don’t pick more than four words. Then if anyone says those words, they have to do a forfeit which is decided by the hen planner or the group before they start the game. You could also play this by giving everyone a peg, ring or bracelet. When someone catches them saying a banned word, they have to give their item to that person. The person with the most pegs, rings or bracelets at the end of the game wins. Now, for the naughty games! The Marshmallow Challenge Buy a few bags of marshmallows.

Each girl has to fill their mouths with marshmallows and try to say a chosen work (i.e. Ejaculation) without biting into the marshmallows…. try it! The Biscuit Challenge Each girl gets a few biscuits or crackers and has to bite the shape of a willy into them. Difficult!! Balloon Humping

Question: What do Americans call what we call a ‘hen party’?
Answer: Bachelorette Party