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A "bachelor" is a "young knight who follows the banner of another," the original definition of the word in English. Traditional terms for male and female were "stag" and "hen," respectively. The lone stag, standing tall and strong, has long been a symbol of masculinity. Even in prehistoric cave paintings, stags are a prevalent motif. The warrior's body and stag antlers were prominent features of Cernunnos, the Celtic god of life and fertility and a sign of the masculine. The stag's antlers, which serve both as a sign to the heavens and a weapon against rivals, develop and fall back each year, changing from a velvety, pulsating material into a horny, rigid structure.
The stag and hen party are rooted in ancient traditions, despite their contemporary manifestations. In ancient Greece, the bride's family and friends would gather together to honour Artemis, the goddess of motherhood and the guardian of young women and girls. The Spartan groom's last night of independence was celebrated with a dinner by his friends. The practise may have been established in England due to the fact that the sociable Henry VIII married six times. Stags have traditionally consisted of either a fancy supper hosted by the groom's father or best man, or a more low-key get-together for the groom and his buddies to have a few drinks.
There aren't any rites of passage that help Westerners come of age. In the West, these are typically associated with the bachelor party or hen party and involve alcohol endurance tests and otherwise two-fisted activities example archery, sledge throwing, or bungee jumping. In unique, bungee jumping is a symbol for suicide because it represents a decisive and dramatic change in direction.
In many traditional civilizations, the separating rite for marriage entails initiating the bride into the duties of marriage, including lovemaking and childbearing—a job which, in our culture, has generally been relegated to the stripper, or perhaps to a sex toy or pornography. This highlights a significant function of the rite of passage: providing guidance and support during a trying period of development.
Aside from ensuring the bride's safety, the rite of separation may also serve as a means of cleansing. The bride takes a ceremonial bath, known as a Mikveh in Orthodox Judaism. Henna is applied in elaborate patterns on the hands and feet of the bride for purification, decoration, and sometimes even protection in several Eastern wedding rituals. Junggesellenabschied is the German word for a bachelor party ("farewell to bachelorhood"). However, on the night before the wedding, there is a distinct celebration called Polterabend, where guests break antique crockery in a pre-Christian tradition to ward off evil spirits. Of course, today's spa day is the modern successor to all of these ancient customs.
Other, more minor functions of the stag and hen may include:
- An attempt to make marriage seem less intimidating by making fun of it.
- rescuing the bride or groom from the other's embrace.
- The couple is being punished for abandoning their pals.
- Paying respect to one's pals with a salute.
- Parting ways with close companions.
- Including one's pals or allies in a plan.
- Making up an excuse to treat oneself or one's friends extravagantly.
- Similar to an orgy, an excuse is being made for socially acceptable release and wickedness.
- Joyous occasions commemorating the life of the bride or groom.
- honouring or praising masculine or women.
- Creating a more uniform society.
In just one generation, parties for both stags and hens have become multi-day extravaganzas set in a city known for its nightlife and hedonism. An entire market has developed around throwing these kinds of parties, with event organisers providing everything from dare lists and drinking games to stretch limos and strippers emerging from tiers of cake.
What has caused the rise in value of stags and hens? Financially, it is now easy and inexpensive to travel. People are delaying marriage and increasing their incomes, which has resulted in a rise in personal wealth and a corresponding increase in disposable income. When compared to previous generations, we enjoy greater cultural freedom, but may also be more self-centered. It's possible that the stag represents a desperate attempt to communicate values about masculinity and marriage that have been there for a long time but are now under attack.
For the vast majority of humankind's existence, marriage was a necessary condition of establishing stable families and achieving economic success. However, in recent years, it has become more of a lifestyle choice due to declining infant mortality, increasing life expectancy, and female empowerment.
Philosopher Sren Kierkegaard said as early as the 19th century, "If you marry, you will regret it; if you do not marry, you will also regret it; if you marry or do not marry, you will regret both..."
An increasing number of modern brides and grooms are uncertain about getting married, and the stag or hen party is, in part, a frenzied defence against a loss of freedom and possibility; also, for the other revellers, against the loss of a friend to an increasingly archaic and faraway institution.
In order to keep negative emotions like fear and grief from entering one's awareness, the manic defence mechanism involves replacing them with positive ones like exhilaration and a sense of purpose.
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Stag Party History
Something of the history of bachelor party
Beyond the typical party and large gathering ingredients, a bachelor (stag) party may involve activities like visiting a strip club, hiring an escort, or engaging in other forms of hazing, such as tests but instead pranks at the future groom's expense.
The best man or the bachelor's older brother is traditionally responsible for planning the bachelor party. A close or supposedly party-loving male friend will step in to plan it otherwise. Traditionally, the bachelor (stag) party's itinerary is not shared with the groom.
For the bride-to-be, it is now customary to throw a reception in a similar vein. A bachelorette party, or Hen party, is what you call this type of celebration.
The so-called Stag and Doe party, in which the bride and groom both participate, is a more subdued alternative. With the celebration typically lasting for multiple days, the term "stag weekend" has become increasingly prevalent in the United Kingdom. An offshoot of this trend is the rise of the so-called "weekend industry" in the United Kingdom, where a number of services aim to eliminate any potential "trouble" from the weekend for its customers.
Trips with friends to the United Kingdom or Europe typically begin on a Sunday night so that the group can make the most of their time away. The groom, also known as "the Stag," will face a variety of tests during the stag weekend. Some examples of fun group activities are kart chase, clay pigeon shooting, paintball, quad biking, base jumping, AK-47 gunning down, and white water rafting.
Their beauty and serenity make them ideal for weddings. It's becoming increasingly common for Americans to travel to Montreal or Mexico for "destination bachelor (stag) parties," rather than just going out on a regular night. The best spot in Playa del Carmen for a stag or bachelor party.
Many American bachelor parties involve excessive drinking, the services of a prostitute or stripper, and other forms of wild behaviour that the bride could find offensive. The groom's bachelor party has come to represent his final opportunity to be genuinely "free" and unencumbered by his future wife.
Strippers and poker tournaments are common parts of Australian Buck's Nights. Oftentimes, the groom is publicly shamed after a night of heavy drinking with his friends. A common tactic is to leave him naked and tethered to a pole, or to fly him to an isolated area. Dressing the buck up as a woman or forcing him to wear a "mankini" to kick off the night's humiliation is another typical practise.
Because of the abundance of strip clubs offering "dance contact" in major Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, these locales are frequently chosen for bachelor (stag) parties (lap-dancing). Montreal in particular is well-known in North America for this very reason. In Canada, a stagette or doe is the female version of a stag party.
According to the French phrase, "enterrement de vie de garçon," the term for the groom's stag do translates to "burial of the life as a lad" or "burial/funeral of the life as a bachelor." Enterrement de vie de jeune fille means "burial/funeral of the life as a young girl" when referring to a woman's (proposed) funeral. Heavy drinking, numerous (though mild) humiliations, and the occasional presence of a stripper are common features of such gatherings, just as they are in English-speaking countries.
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Indians are beginning to adopt this custom. The best place to be is in Pondicherry.
Italian stag parties are known as "Addio al celibato," which translates to "goodbye, bachelor life" in English. It's "Addio al nubilato" for the future wife.
The Russian word for "boys' party" is "malchishnik," which essentially means the same thing. Often known as a "girls' party," is thrown in honour of the bride-to-be.
Traditions And Changes in Stag Dos Over The Years
There are several names for a stag party, but the most common are stag night or stag do. This kind of party is put on so that the grooms-to-be can have one final hurrah before tying the knot. The night before the wedding is generally reserved for this. Tradition, however, has evolved in some way through the years. That's no longer the case, as it can take place before the wedding these days. Even while the tradition of enjoying one's final moments of independence is still common in many nations, the observance is often marked in quite diverse ways.
Stag parties in the UK typically span multiple days now. Because of this, the term "stag weekend" became widely used. In addition to the nightlife at their stag site, the guys on a bachelor weekend can also take part in a number of daytime activities.
There are a lot of low-cost airlines to choose from today. Some stags take advantage of foreign destinations' low-priced packages. Krakow, Riga, and Prague are three of the most visited cities abroad. The stag industry has been expanding in part due to this shift in cultural norms.
Traditions That Did Not Change
Activities for a stag party will always go above and beyond the call of duty for a typical get-together. Stag parties typically involve alcoholic beverages, gambling, visits to a strip club, or even the hire of a stripper. Some dudes still insist on having lap dances at their bachelor parties.
Some of these customs involve testing the groom in ways that are comparable to fraternity hazing and even playing practical jokes on him. Such rituals are similar to initiation ceremonies and mark the transition from carefree bachelorhood to married life.
Lap Dancing… Look but Do Not Touch
An erotic dance is lap dancing. A dancer in a strip club performs it without clothing. Close proximity to the audience is not required for this dance. Full contact is also an option. The dancer grinds while seated on the patron's lap during a full touch performance. This is not permitted in all strip joints.
The 1970s saw the beginning of this trend in entertainment. New York's Melody Theater, which encouraged audience participation, coined the term "Mardi Gras." The Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatre in San Francisco took this concept one step further when the theater's owners reversed their policy and began permitting dancers to sit naked on the laps of paying patrons in exchange for a dollar tip. From this, modern lap dance developed.
If you decide to incorporate this into your stag night, make sure everyone stays on their best behaviour. All of you could get kicked out of the club if you behave badly. Additionally, lap dancing already has negative cultural and societal effects. According to research, rapes and indecent assaults are more common in neighbourhoods with more of these businesses.
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Get Drunk and Have a Great Time
There are a few things to remember at a stag party, despite the fact that it's supposed to be a lot of fun. First, if there are any stag do pranks planned, make sure no one gets hurt. Second, it's important to make sure the stag enjoys all of the event's activities. Last but not least, consuming alcoholic beverages is acceptable, but those who do so bear full responsibility for their actions while inebriated.
These days, the stag market is rife with businesses offering cheap night out and weekend getaway packages. To have a wonderful experience, all you have to do is pick a beautiful destination and some exciting things to do while you're there.
Conclusion
Despite their modern iterations, stag and hen parties have ancient origins. Standing proud and alone, the stag has always represented masculinity. Traditionally, the groom's father or best man has hosted a formal dinner for the stag. The modern equivalent of these traditional wedding rites is the spa day. In Orthodox Jewish tradition, the bride receives a ritual bath (called a Mikveh) and has henna applied to her hands and feet for good luck.
The future of marriage is uncertain for many young couples today. The bachelor party is traditionally organised by the best man or the bachelor's older brother. The groom is not usually included in the planning of the bachelor (stag) party. Prostitution and stripping are commonplace at American bachelor parties. It is the Canadian equivalent of a stag party to throw a stagette or doe.
"burial of the life as a lad" is the literal translation of the French word for the groom's stag do. As a result, modern British stag dos often last for several days. Still, there are some dudes who insist on lap dances at their bachelor parties. Because of their low fares, low-cost airlines have become increasingly popular. Three of the most popular European destinations are Krakow, Riga, and Prague.
This entertainment fad first appeared in the 1970s. The term "Mardi Gras" was created at New York's participatory Melody Theater. Dancers at San Francisco's Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatre would sit naked on the laps of paying customers in exchange for a dollar tip.
Content Summary
- Modern iterations of the stag and hen party have ancient origins.
- The rite of separation not only guarantees the bride's safety, but it also has the potential to purify the participants.
- Stag and hen parties may also serve other, less significant purposes, such as: an attempt to normalise marriage by poking fun at it.
- The groom is not usually included in the planning of the bachelor party.
- The term "stag weekend" has become increasingly common in the United Kingdom to describe the multi-day stag do.
- Destination bachelor parties, in which a group of friends celebrate the recent nuptials of one or more American men in a foreign country such as Montreal or Mexico, are becoming increasingly popular in the United States.
- This is the best place in Playa del Carmen for a bachelor or stag party.
- It is the Canadian equivalent of a stag party to throw a stagette or doe.
- The French phrase "enterrement de vie de garçon" means "burial of the life as a lad" or "burial/funeral of the life as a bachelor," which is the literal translation of the term for the groom's stag do.
- Stag night, or stag do, is the most common term for a stag party, though there are others.
- This is typically done the evening before the wedding.
- Looking but not Touching in the Lap Dance
- Lap dances are a sexually suggestive form of dance.
- This is where contemporary lap dance has its origins.
- Not to mention the already negative cultural and societal effects of lap dancing.
- Check out our collection of hens party themes to help you choose the right one for your celebration.
- Have a few drinks and enjoy yourself.
- Although a stag party is meant to be a time of revelry and celebration, there are a few things the groom and his guests should keep in mind.
FAQs About Hens Party
A hen party is a pre-wedding celebration where the bride and her closest friends go away for a long weekend to celebrate her upcoming marriage.
The terms 'stag' and 'hen' parties originate in the mid-19th century, although they were not necessarily tied to weddings at this time. Instead, they referred to entertainments attended by just men or just women.
The most likely candidate to organise the hen party is the Maid of Honour or Chief Bridesmaid. As the bride's most trusted confidante and support in the run up to her wedding, the maid of honour is usually the go-to hen do planner.
There's no real rule for when a hen party should be, ideally, we'd say around 4-6 weeks before the wedding to avoid any last-minute stresses or dress fittings getting in the way in the last few weekends before the wedding.
With most hen nights, the bride is usually consulted on the basics – the date, time, invite list, and where it will start. But saying that, a surprise party can be a fun idea, depending on the bride's personality.