The wedding celebration is in full swing, and, of course, shouts of "Bitter!" Few people think about why the guests shout so and why it is necessary to kiss in public at their every request.
The long-awaited day of the wedding has come. This colorful and vivid event gives rise to a huge amount of impressions and emotions for all those present. After the solemn part, the newlyweds and guests begin the wedding feast. This is where it all begins. Often right after the first toast.
First, from somewhere quietly someone's single "bitter" is heard. You may not even attach much importance to this. But then the screams become choral and sound more insistent until the bride and groom demonstrate their kisses. Where and why did the custom of shouting this strange word "Bitter!"
It turns out that this exclamation has primordial Russian roots. One of the most common versions is considered to be a tradition taken from folk wedding festivities. After the agricultural work, the time for weddings began. The festivities were merry and noisy. The groom, as always, had to prove his love and male prowess, and the bride - obedience and devotion to her future spouse.
A hill was poured in the bride's yard. First, the future wife with her friends climbed to its top. The groom, while shouting “Gorka! Slide! I had to get to the top with the help of friends and kiss my betrothed. Apparently, at these festivities, couples in love were formed among the girlfriends of the bride and the friends of the groom. There was no limit to the fun: young people kissed and rode down this hill.
Another source of the emergence of the exclamation "Bitter!" is the common superstition of ancestors. They strongly feared that evil forces could ruin not only the holiday, but also the whole life of the young. To deceive any evil spirits, the guests at the wedding shouted "Bitter!", Proving to her how bad life was for everyone present. According to legend, the evil spirits could not withstand such grief and went to those who were more fortunate in life.
There was another Russian wedding ritual that changed over time. Perhaps it was he who brought with him the imperturbable "Bitter" guests from time immemorial. At the wedding feast, the young wife walked around all those present, carrying a tray with a glass of intoxicating drink. The guest, after taking a sip, said “Bitter!”, Confirming the taste and quality of the drink. Then he could kiss the bride if he put gold coins on the tray. It is unlikely that the newly-made husbands liked this custom, and over time, only the bride and groom began to kiss at weddings to the loud and demanding choir of guests "Bitter!"
