A wedding these days involves observing customs and traditions. This has been going on since ancient times. However, some rituals have lost their power, and some, on the contrary, have become increasingly integrated into the modern wedding industry.
In Greece, newlyweds smashed plates after the ceremony, in Rome - clay pots, but in modern Russia - wine glasses. Young spouses nowadays need to understand which wedding traditions they should follow and which they can abandon.
This also applies to such a ritual as breaking glasses.
Why break glasses, an excursion into history
All over the world, it is customary to break something at weddings. Previously, in ancient times, dishes were very valuable. Not all houses had it. It was simply not possible to break wooden utensils.
Therefore, in Ancient Greece, young spouses broke a pomegranate on the threshold before entering their new home. This is a fruit that used to grow all over the place. There was no pity for him and the Greeks did not value him so much.
The guests counted the grains of the fruit and, based on this data, reported how happy the life of the young married couple would be.
There was a special custom in Rus'. He approached the woman. The young wife, after registering her relationship, broke a clay pot on the threshold of the house. If the pot remained intact, then an unhappy family life awaited the woman.
If the pot broke into many fragments, then by their number they calculated how many children and happy moments there would be in the life of the husband and wife.
The hussars broke glasses in a special way. They were supposed to remove the shoes from their bride's feet. A glass of strong alcoholic drink was placed in the shoes. The hussar was supposed to drink alcohol without using his hands. After this, the man took out a wine glass and smashed it on the floor.
It was necessary to hit as hard as possible so that a lot of fragments would appear. All of them symbolized family happiness and love. The shoe was kept in the family home as a special heirloom.
In Germany, there is a very interesting custom regarding glass breaking, which is unlike any other. Guests break several plates or wine glasses. But the young couple will have to collect all the fragments into a bag without a broom or dustpan.
This tradition signifies the first difficulties in the life of a married couple and the ability to overcome them .
There is a special tradition in Russian villages. The groom stands with his back to the gate and facing the house. The bride stands next to him. The man’s task is to throw the clay pot over the bride’s head and get it as far, closer or over the threshold as possible.
Then the guests count the number of fragments. It is necessary to have as many of them as possible.
Wedding magic. Wedding glasses
Wedding glasses are a beautiful and elegant attribute of the festive table.
As a rule, two sets of glasses are bought: the newlyweds break the first glasses for good luck before the feast (they are transparent, simple), from the second pair they drink at the wedding table (decorative glasses, specially decorated for the wedding, are kept in the family after the wedding).
The tradition of breaking glasses at a wedding is not new and has its roots in the Jewish wedding ceremony, in which the groom breaks the glass during the ceremony.
In the Middle Ages in Europe, wedding ceremonies also included dishes. First the groom drank from the wedding cup, then the bride drank. After this, the groom broke the cup against the northern wall of the room; it was believed that in this way he drove away the evil spirits who, according to legend, lived in the north.
The Slavs followed the custom of fighting pots. It was believed that pots should be broken in the bride's house, then the bride would not return to her parents' house, but would be happily married to her husband, and you would take care of their house. There were a lot of pots being beaten, fun and active, the event was noisy and exciting. There was also a sign of breaking pottery; it was believed that if the pot shattered into small pieces, then the bride was innocent.
Our ancestors believed that there was no need to rejoice and rejoice very much, as this could scare away your own happiness and good luck.
It was also believed that the clinking of glass or broken dishes drives away evil spirits and then they will no longer bother the young.
And now about those signs that relate to weddings today.
There is an old saying: the number of large fragments the glasses break into is the number of children in the family.
The glasses that are broken are usually simple and transparent. But for the wedding ceremony, beautiful glasses with a variety of decor are chosen. Today there are a lot of variations.
It is better to give preference to transparent glasses - and your married life will be free of chaos.
Darkened or tinted glass can bring hazyness, different points of view on things, and lies to the lives of young people.
It’s not good if wedding glasses crack, crumble, or darken either at the wedding or after it. This sign indicates that difficulties await the young couple. It’s also not good if the glasses break during the festive table.
For the prosperity of the newlyweds, so that there is money in the family, the matchmakers must put a coin in the glasses of the newlyweds. After the wedding, the coins are taken out and carefully stored in the family, and they need to be stored under the tablecloth.
Plus, if the young glasses are made of crystal. Crystal is a symbol of purity, honesty; young people will look at many issues soberly and clearly, their points of view will coincide. It is also believed that crystal can absorb negativity, cleanse and bring clarity.
It is better that the glasses of the bride and groom be the same in color and appearance.
During the celebration, the bride should not drink from the groom's glass and vice versa. This is considered not a very good sign - then the wife in family life can take all the money from her husband, or the husband, on the contrary, can be stingy in relation to his family and wife.
After the wedding, glasses should be stored carefully. It is believed that these glasses can even serve as a talisman for a couple for a year after the wedding. Therefore, of course, they cannot be given to other people or placed on the table along with dishes for other holidays.
What glasses are broken?
The tradition of breaking wedding glasses is very important. Indeed, according to it, after this ceremony, there will be more happiness, love and harmony in the lives of the newlyweds. Please note that you need to break glasses together, holding hands.
Often newlyweds have a question about which glasses should be broken. These should not be the glasses from which they will later drink champagne. Wedding glasses used at the reception are taken home.
Later they are taken out on important holidays and memorable dates. It could be a wedding anniversary or the birth of a child.
Therefore, you should prepare in advance two glasses that you will break. Since they were originally intended for beating, they do not need to be painted or beautifully decorated. Choose the simplest and easiest options.
After all, how happy the family life will be depends on how many parts the broken wine glass has. Therefore, you can cheat in advance and choose thin glass, which will instantly shatter into many fragments.
Description of the ceremony of breaking glasses at a wedding
It is worth noting that this tradition does not have clear boundaries and restrictions. Each family chooses independently when, where and how to hold it. Most often, young couples do not break the dishes that are intended for photo sessions and celebrations. Decorated glasses are left for significant events in the family: the birth of children, christenings, anniversaries. For the ceremony, separate dishes made of crystal or glass are used.
By the way, crystal is considered a more acceptable material for these purposes. After all, it has long personified happiness and family values.
When should glasses be broken?
In Russia there is no specific tradition when to break glasses . The Russian people love to do this, so even if someone drops something, you can always hear that it is for good luck. The newlyweds themselves determine when this event will occur.
Mostly they do this after official registration, immediately leaving the registry office or while walking.
However, in both cases, you must be extremely careful. Because broken pieces can hurt someone. Think in advance about who will clean up the trash after you and how. It won't be scary if you ask one of your friends to do this.
After you move away from the broken wine glasses, your friends will quickly remove the rubbish and throw it in the trash.
Many newlyweds love this tradition so much that they break glasses several times during the evening. In this case, you will need to stock up on more than one set of wine glasses.
It is not forbidden to do this, so talk to your host in advance so that he can prepare beautiful words and wishes for this event.
There are several interpretations of broken wine glasses. According to one version, broken glasses symbolize the fragility of relationships and the need to preserve and protect them. According to another interpretation, glasses mean good luck, prosperity and happiness, which they bring to the house.
According to one version and another, broken glasses have only a positive meaning. Therefore, do not be afraid and break them boldly, thereby attracting prosperity, luck and happiness.
After glasses are broken, some people collect them and do not throw them away. There are explanations for this. According to superstition, the fragments should be buried in the garden of the family home. In this case, luck and love will always reign in your home.
If you live in an apartment, then you should bury the glass fragments on the left corner of the house . This is a ritual that not everyone follows. If you are traditional, then be sure to follow all customs and traditions.
Where do glasses break?
For the ceremony you need to choose a spacious place. You should make sure that the ceremony will not cause injury or harm to guests and others. Some registry offices prohibit the process of breaking dishes on their territory. The thing is that guests can be injured by the remaining fragments.
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The solution to this problem was the fashionable trend in the manufacture of special stylized bags for glasses. At the same time, the wine glass is placed in a beautiful package, which, if the glassware breaks, will keep all the fragments inside. This way the tradition will be carried out, and the fragments will not fly apart.
You can sew the bags yourself or order them from a craftsman. They are made of translucent fabric and decorated with ribbons, rhinestones and embroidery. It turns out stylish, fashionable and safe.
Why glasses break - and other signs
Superstitious people are afraid of gifts in the form of dining/kitchen utensils, but this is an unjustified fear. The only caveat concerns the integrity of such gizmos. It’s quite easy to see a tiny chip or crack in glass, but broken dishes always promise bad luck.
- Therefore, the sign advises: before giving glasses, you should inspect them very carefully.
This rule also applies to the receiving party. No matter how beautiful a cracked glass may be, the omen urgently requires you to part with it.
- In ordinary life, wine glasses, glasses (and other utensils) fight for happiness.
- A fly or midge in a glass is a sign of money, but it will “earn” only in one case, if you get the insect and finish the drink. It is not customary to “renew” champagne, as this significantly affects the taste. There is no mysticism here: the sign about why you can’t top up a glass has purely practical roots and applies exclusively to fizzy drinks.
People's opinions about rituals
It is no secret that some people consider ancient wedding rituals to be relics of the past. They do not follow them and try to make the celebration modern and fashionable.
However, there are those who have a positive attitude towards Slavic ancient practices. They try to observe the rituals, learn the details of the customs from ancient sources and believe in their predictions. However, what to do if the result of breaking dishes promises an unhappy life? Psychologists believe that you should not set yourself up for such an outcome. After all, it all depends on the person and his desire to save the marriage. Therefore, people who are too suspicious should refuse such a ritual, because against the background of excitement and stress, something may go wrong. This should not cause the breakdown of relationships and families.
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What to do with shards of broken dishes
It doesn’t matter which aspect carries a negative or positive sign and under what circumstances the drink vessel breaks, you should stay away from the fragments. All pieces of broken dishes after a feast are immediately taken to the trash bin, or better yet, buried. It is worth wrapping the fragments in paper or cloth and burying them where no one can get to them.
A glass or glass broken during a funeral dinner should be put into a paper bag and, along with treats, taken to the grave of the deceased. When dishes in the house begin to break frequently, it is worth treating the brownie with milk and sweet cookies. Leave the saucer of milk on the table overnight and place sweets next to it.
If your mother-in-law's glass falls and breaks at a wedding, in order to avoid quarrels with relatives, the young husband needs to throw the fragments over his left shoulder.
Part of the wedding tradition
Time passed, and gradually broken dishes began to be considered not a bad omen, but a good one, promising happiness, so today's newlyweds, when they break glasses, honor both past and modern traditions.
For the groom, the sound of breaking glass should remind him that sudden difficulties may arise in life together. At a Jewish wedding, for this reason, the groom is invited to step on the bottle with his heel and crush it, which symbolizes victory over difficulties that can come when you are not expecting them at all and enjoy life.
Before the wedding, you need to take care of all the little things, especially about glasses for the newlyweds - it is better to buy them in two versions - two glass glasses “for whipping”, and the other two - made of crystal - directly for the wedding.
