Way back in the day before the wedding gowns, bride maid dresses and Jimmy Choos, table settings and flower arrangements, gift registries and party favors or gold Celtic wedding rings for that matter, the Celts had something called handfasting ceremony.
 
While this particular tradition might be so old that it dates back to the pre-Christian times and whether or not you would like to have your hands tied – the symbolism and the logic of handfasting ceremony could easily be applied to the present day.

Handfasting is a ceremony where a man and a woman come together and their hands are tied – literally.

The couple holds their hands together and they are crossed at the wrists. Then a ribbon is tied over the top of one and under the other to create the infinity symbol.

In this day and age it is difficult to imagine having a wedding without the wedding rings (or if you are looking for that bit of Irish tradition – Celtic knot wedding bands) but there is no reason why you could not weave both into your wedding ceremony, especially when you hear about the significance and meaning of handfasting.

Handfasting is a ceremony that represents unity between two people and their desire to love and cherish each other for eternity. It can mean an engagement or marriage, you can decide. It might also be worthwhile for commitment-phobes to take note – it might last forever or for a year and a day. Yes, you have read it right a year and a day. And while some might be of an opinion that it’s not really romantic, there is a logic to it.

Every year on August 1 the Celts celebrated the harvest festival Lughnasa. Not only was it a celebration of gratitude for the fruits of the harvest but also many couples came together, had their handfasting ceremony and promised to return a year and a day later – either to renew their vows and stay together or to go their separate ways. Since the harvest festival Lughnasa was celebrated every year in the town of Teltown in county Meath these couplings were also known under the name of Teltown marriages.

Even though the custom itself dates back to the pre-Christian period it was still a regular occurrence with the emergence of Christianity because it was not common for Church to play any role in the marriage ceremonies until the Council of Trent in the16th century.

It also ties in with the Brehon law that specified how the property should be divided if the couples do decide to go their separate ways and in case there were children, how they are going to be provided and cared for.
 
A year and a day rule aside, the symbolism of handfasting is still present today. During the wedding ceremony when the bride gives her hand to the groom even though their hands might not be tied together it is reminiscent of handfasting ceremony.

And with the growing popularity of New Age and other spiritual practices handfasting is still a choice of ceremony for the devotees of Wiccan and Pagan rituals.

You do not need to be of pagan persuasion to see the meaning and symbolism of handfasting. And it most certainly does not mean you have to give up the gown, the shoes, the Celtic wedding rings or the DJ you have booked for your special day.

Handfasting can easily be incorporated into the wedding ceremony if you want that special touch that will make your wedding a memory of a lifetime – not just for yourself but for your guests as well. And just think – how many couples over the centuries have done the same thing?

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College Sports Rivalries

College students from different universities take pride in their own teams. Dyed-in-the wool sports fans cannot see beyond their favorite teams, and they would even go all the way to show the extent they would go just to prove their loyalty. Thus, college sports rivalries are not uncommon.

When universities play against one another, especially if they have a long history of rivalry, the stadiums are usually jam-packed. The team colors give pomp to the match, and the noise of the cheering fans during the game is deafening.

One example of a famous and long standing rivalry is between the Alabama University Crimson Tides and the Auburn University Tigers, where the noise level during their match is absolutely record breaking. Whenever you watch one of these games, you’ll definitely feel the school pride among the fans and the players.

During one of these games, fans wear their team colors to show their school affiliation. People sporting Alabama Crimson Tide apparel or Auburn apparel are not uncommon. In other areas, you’ll see Florida Gators apparel, Georgia Bulldogs apparel, and LSU apparel everywhere. If you are a Tide fan, better wear the right shirt colors or those smack t-shirts, hats, and banners just to make sure everybody sees how loyal you can get.    

Say What You Mean With Smack T-shirts

Rivalries are spelled out on special t-shirt prints. Popularly known as smack t-shirts, these types of shirts perfectly express the tenor of the rivalries. Printed on these shirts are outrageous and funny statements about rival schools similar to the Auburn Apparel ranked and spanked smacked t-shirt with the funny tagline "you came in ranked and went home spanked!"

Another popular smack t-shirt commemorating school rivalries is the Florida Gators Apparel shirt with the funny print stating that "the best way to lose carbs is to eat bulldog meat", obviously referring to their long-time rival, the Georgia Bulldogs. There are plenty more of these fun and expressive t-shirts that venerate collegiate rivalries.

The more smack T-shirts you have, the better you can express your sentiments, and it is fun reading the smack t-shirts of the rival camp. Each year, fans scour the shops for new smack message, and everybody wants to top everybody when it comes to smacking rival teams.  

Dress Up to the Ballgame

When the November match with Auburn is up, Tide fans gird up with all the fight they can muster – fight songs, smack shirts, banners, license plates, collegiate belts, hats, and flip flops. The more apparel showed, the better the loyalty scrimmage for the Tide fans.

The match with the University of Tennessee or the Tennessee Volunteers is another much awaited event. On the third Saturday of October, the football teams will be at each other’s throat again. But the fight will be on the gridiron, match for match.    

If there is a hotly contested match, dress up to the ballgames, especially if the battle is being fought in the home turf. For the Crimson Tide players, no matter how difficult the game or how tough the opponent, nothing matters as long as the loyal fans are around to give the lusty cheering.  

Dress up and get ready for the fun afterwards. Win or lose, there’s reason to celebrate. Your team did their darndest best to beat their bitter rivals. Could you afford to miss the action?   

Post Game Tail-gate Parties

You cannot have a collegiate sports game without the infamous tailgate party afterwards. These parties are the national past-time of coeds during Saturday game days. During these parties, school pride run high as everybody is wearing their team colors and showing off their team banners and mascot hats.

Fans of all ages seem to enjoy the healthy rivalry and are having a good time and much more if their team won the championship game. The tailgate party becomes one big family affair. You can see grandparents and young children and even toddlers at the tailgate parties.

Tailgate parties are a tradition among college students. Some fans will even camp outside the stadium as early as a day before the big game to get the best parking space and to get the best seats for the game. The festivities start after the game, and it is an all-nighter.

The fun at these parties are infectious, and the food is always sumptuous. So grab your team banners, hats, t-shirts, and even blankets and join the party and, obviously, enjoy the game. You can’t postpone the fun for next year.

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