Life in the 1500's was certainly tough! For one thing, people generally only bathed once a year, in May. By then, those folks were smelling pretty ripe!! Weddings were held in June, because the bride and groom, having had their yearly bath in May, were still smelling reasonably o.k. There was a slight odor, however, and to cover that smell, brides began carrying bouquets of sweet smelling flowers!! This sounds like a pretty good story to me, and it is one of several floating around as to why brides carry flowers down the aisle!!
Speaking of those yearly baths, they consisted of a big tub of hot soapy water. The man of the house always had the first bath, while the water was still clean. Then, because of the chauvinistic society, the sons had their baths. Then the women and children got their chance to scrub off a year's worth of grime. Finally, it was the baby's turn. By that time, the water was so scummy, that one could not see the bottom of the tub. Now you know where the expression "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!" came from.
It's been a pretty long day for me, what with my abstract class, and delivering flowers and a card to Dr. Nunn for saving Little Liz's life after she was bitten by the rattlesnake, then getting my Alphabe-Thursday offering ready for publication. Now I am ready for a nice hot shower--my second one today! Aren't we lucky????
35 comments:
Yes...we are truly blessed! Bring on the tub of suds!
Classic! I knew they were pungent, but I did not know the reason for the flowers or the origin of the baby-bathwater analogy. I am quite certain I would have remained single had I been born 500 years ago (instead of 200).
I had heard about the yearly bath and flowers but didn't know how the baby-bathwater story came about.
Wonder when it went from Yearly to Saturday?? My father always said the back woods people in the mountains would bathe on Saturday, come down and go to town on Saturday night and then church on Sunday and not bathe for another week. I think maybe he was pulling my leg.Ha ha! Exceptional "Y" post Judie. I don't think I can top that! ~Ames
This is great! I do love that story as to the tradition of June weddings and carrying flowers!
Wow. I can't imagine bathing in someone's dirty bath water. I'd rather bathe in the river. :o)
I heard about the yearly bath from one of my teachers many years ago. And like one of your readers my Dad jokes that they used to only get theirs on Saturday!
Erika
Artful Rising
gross ... i cant go a day without a long shower ... i cant imagine going a year ....
and poor Lizzy ... I hope that she is recovering ... how the heck did the snake get so close to her???
Hi,
Hope you enjoyed your shower. Hopefully, you didn't get thrown out. lol! I did know this history, sometimes I even amaze myself. Ha-ha! Can you imagine? And then there's me, who can't go to sleep without her nightly soak in the tub. Are we spoiled or what? Great Y word
nice pics! thanks for stopping by :)
"YIKES"....glad we don't do the yearly now days....lucky indeed!...I think I'll go rinse off again!
~Jo
I am so glad that we bathe more often now. I don't think I could have handled the smell.
So pleased Liz's OK! Here in Andalucia dogs have to beware of so-called Processional caterpillars whose bite can be fatal for canines. Ugh!
Oops feel like a shower now too...!
XOXO Lola:)
PS Laughed out loud at yr comment over at my place. Woke up my PA who was snoozing (as usual) instead of typing up my profound thoughts!
Oh this is just fabulous Judie, you have me laughing ...I'd heard the one about the baby but not about the flowers, that explains volumes!..and perfumes!...speaking of baths, I have to shower and run out of here too...you are so right...isn't it grand that we can choose from shower or bath when ever we want to! Have a great day, Judie, this is great !
I know that in France at that time, people only bathed when they were sick and the doctor prescribed a bath. The parfum was invented to cover the bad smell and in the large skirts there were mouse traps and other things against insects ! Yikes !! I wonder how they made babies ??
Hey busy lady! Thank you for another interesting AT post!
Another great post!
I'm sure glad Little Liz is all right.
I wish I can have one, sound interesting....
love the rich and vivid information you provided.
Smiles.
Very informative! I have heard that "don't throw the baby out with the bath water". I prefer a clean bath but I know people have not always had such luxuries!
You are always such a joy to visit! Thanks and enjoy your weekend. Anne
I'm glad that Liz is going to be okay!
I remember bathing in a big tub in the kitchen when I was a very little girl. I don't know what my parents did - we little girls were bathed together, and thought it great fun. My dad had to stoke up the fire first, as it was very cold in the winter time, and Mum would warm the towels on the stove.
Oh, ewww! I can't imagine bathing only once a year! Especially after all the dirty males in the family! That's just so ewww! I almost feel that it's better to just remain filthy by the time you get down to the baby because I highly doubt you'd feel clean or even smell clean in that filthy water! Not to mention men are the stinkier and dirtier ones back then since they worked and have to be outdoors all the time. Ick, just thinking about the dirty water makes me uncomfortable. I am so very thankful for showers and today's bathroom!
Glad to hear that Liz is on the mend!
This was absolutely fascinating! Don't know how you come up with your Alphabet ideas, but I'm a big fan!
I cannot imagine taking a bath in such grungy water...but hey! They didn't know anything different!
Liz...wow, so glad she is recovering and doing so well. A yearly bath? Ugh.... Daily, nothing less will do!
Being a strong believer in the daily shower I would not have done well in the 1500's - although wouldn't have know any better then...
Glad we are blessed with abundant water and soap!
A yearly washing... just like my Steelers Socks...
Oh my goodness! I'm so thankful we don't live like that anymore. How interesting how the flower-carrying custom came about. Is Lizzie 100% ok now?
Hello.
WoW! I'm glad I don't live in those times. Thank goodness I can shower as many times as I like.
Very informative post.
Thanks for sharing.
Yesterday With You
We are lucky indeed! I'll sure enjoy my next shower more after this! And so glad to hear little Liz has recovered!
I will have a huge headache if I don't have my shower every couple of days. I'm lucky indeed.
Please click on bluzdude (see his comment above), and read a great post on his blog. You'll be glad you did!!
Hurrah for modern conveniences, and thanks for the history lesson. I had no idea that body odor was the reason for a bride's bouquet!
I didn't know about the baby and the bath water, my husband did though. I always wondered about that- Thanks!
That is so funny! My daughter asked me today why brides carry bouquets, and I had also heard about the May baths and shared that story with her. And here I am, reading about it on your blog!
Yikes! This was fascinating. You always have the most interesting things to share with us, Miss Judie!
I'm going to definitely bandy this information about like I'm in the know about everything - ha!
Thanks for linking! You are a joy!
A+
We are lucky indeed!
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