BRIDAL SHOWERS, STAG PARTIES AND OTHER RITUALSOF MARRIAGE9

Before a young couple proceeds down the aisle to exchange their marriage vows, there are two social rituals which are usually performed before the day of the wedding. For young women it is the bridal shower and for her future husband it is the stag party. Both of these occasions are filled with unexpected surprises and occur sometime within the month prior to the actual marriage.The bridal shower is the more conservative of the two rituals with the future bride as the center of attention. It is customarily organized by her sister or best friend and attended only by women, usually family and friends. It is usually organized as a surprise party and the bride is caught off guard as to its time and location. Everyone, in addition, brings along a gift which could be useful in setting up a home. A toaster, a microwave oven, a blender and kitchen appliances are all appropriate, so also are items for entertaining guests or accessories for the home. Inrecent years because many young women are now living independent of their families by the time they marry, it has been the acceptable custom to give a monetary gift sealed in an envelop. Whatever the gift a bridal shower is an important event for the young lady who prepares herself for setting up her own home.For her future husband the stag party may contain more excitement and less gifts. This will be his last chance to have an all-night fling on the town with his close friends. Only men are invited to this party and rightly so since some of the pleasures of the evening may not be in keeping with a proper woman's taste. In most cases, however, it may be nothing more than a night of bar hopping while talking about the good times shared with friends in the past.In addition to bridal showers and stag parties there are other rituals and superstitions concerning marriage in America. Some of these even fall under the spell of a superstition. For example, the groom must never see his bride in her wedding gown before she comes to him at the altar before the ceremony. In some cases they must not even speak or meet with one another the day before the wedding.Also it is customary for the bride on her wedding day to wear "something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue" somewhere on or under her gown. This will bring her good luck.Rice throwing at a wedding is also a popular custom. Rice is an ancient symbol of prosperity and fruitfulness. Another reason may be the very ancient superstition that at the wedding there are evil spirits who are supposed to hover about the couple. Throwing rice at them would keep these evil spirits busily eating and away from the groom of whom they were jealous.

1. Before a woman gets married which social ritual is usually held in her honor?
A An engagement shower.

B An engagement party.

C A pre-wedding party.

D A bridal shower.

2. Before a man marries which social ritual is held in his honor?
A A single-man's party.

B A stag party

C A "night-on-the-town" party.

D A barhopping party.

3. Who usually organizes a bridal shower?
A The bride's mother.

B The bride's co-workers.

C The bride's sister and best friends.

D The groom's sister.

4. What kind of gifts were traditionally given at a bridal shower?
A Clothing and dress apparel.

B Household items.

C Money in an envelop.

D Food items for the kitchen.
5. At modern bridal showers which gift is considered more acceptable?
A Household appliances.

B TVs and computers.

C Items for use in the kitchen.

D Money.

6. What is the purpose of a stag party?
A To celebrate the man's last all-night out with friends on the town.

B There is no real purpose.

C To enjoy a night of drinking.

D To act like a child again.

7. What do stag parties and bridal showers have in common?
A They are by invitation only.

B They exclude the opposite sex.

C They are expensive.

D They are held at night.

8. What is one superstition concerning a marriage ritual on the day of the wedding?
A The bride must wear something old and borrowed.

B The father must walk the bride down the aisle.

C The couple must go to the church together.

D The counple must not see each other until the ceremony.

9. If a bride wore "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" on the wedding day, what is signified?
A She will have good luck in marriage.

B She is following tradition.

C She is very superstitious.

D She will never divorce.
10. Why is rice thrown at the married couple after the wedding ceremony?
A Rice is a symbol of life.

B It is a sign that they will have many children.

C To protect the couple from evil spirits.

D It's a sign of God's blessings from heaven