Celtic Weddings

Celtic wedding are an perfect way of showing your being a Celt. It is also a way of incorporating traditional values, symbols, themes and customs into major events in your life. However, Celtic wedding are hugely popular not only among people with a Celtic tradition, but among other couples who are taken by the ancient Celtic culture.

Celtic wedding have traditional symbolic decorations, often based on the Celtic knot. Welsh, Irish and Scottish families will occasionally marry in ancient buildings like castles or old manors, but that is not the standard. A traditional Celtic wedding is not significantly different from a normal British wedding in a lot of ways.

However, the number of similarities between Celtic wedding ceremony traditions and normal British-style weddings goes a lot further than that. If you want a traditional British style wedding, you will be going unwittingly for a Celtic wedding. But you can beef up the Celtic part of the wedding ceremony even further without sinking into silly theatrics.

This is a traditional Celtic poem about when to marry:

Marry when the year is new, Always loving, kind and true.

When February birds do mate, You may wed, nor dread your fate.

If you wed when March winds blow, Joy and sorrow both you’ll know.

Marry in April when you can, Joy for maiden and for man.

Marry in the month of May, You will surely rue the day.

Marry when June roses blow, Over land and sea you’ll go.

They who in July do wed, Must labour always for their bread.

Whoever wed in August be, Many a change are sure to see.

Marry in September’s shine, Your living will be rich and fine.

If in October you do marry, Love will come but riches tarry.

If you wed in bleak November, Only joy will come, remember.

When December’s showers fall fast, Marry and true love will last.

Here are a few other traditions:

Loving Cup: The traditional cup is a two-handled bowl with Celtic designs etched onto it. The idea of the Loving Cup ceremony is for the bride and groom to share their first drink together as husband and wife and to demonstrate the coming together of their two families.

The Bell of Truce: A bell is blessed and then presented to the bride and groom. The couple is required to ring the bell, while thinking loving thoughts of each other. The bell is then kept at home as a token of the wedding day. If an argument arises, the bell can be rung by either the husband or wife to call a truce. The tinkling sound is meant to remind the couple of their wedding vows and to help them recall happy memories from their wedding day.

Handfasting: Early Celts used to ?tie the knot?. It originates from a pre-Christian custom of literally tying a couple’s wrists together in a form of probationary marriage lasting a year and a day, at the end of which a new agreement was made or the couple parted ways.

Bride’s Bouquet: In Celtic wedding traditions brides carried herbs beneath their veils to signify fidelity, and spices to frighten off evil spirits.

Ring finger: Ancient Celts thought that there was a vein in the third finger of the left hand that ran directly to the heart, so ring placed on that finger demonstrated a strong love and vow to the other.

Wedding cake: A thin loaf was broken over the bride’s head at the end of the service to indicate fertility. The wheat from which it was made symbolized fertility and the guests enthusiastically picked up the pieces for good luck charms.

It was also common for the Celtic groom to toss a handful of coins into the crowd after the wedding, in the belief that this would bring them luck in the years ahead.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with theCeltic Knot wedding ring. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

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Black Hills Gold Rings

Most people have hopes for the future. Some people sketch out their lives in intricate detail from an early age, while others just hope that their dreams will come true. I think that that depends on the philosophy of life you have as much as your personality. I certainly remember when I was a boy, that a few of the girls I knew when I was a boy, planning what they would do when they got married to such and such a film star.

They did not know anything about marriage or what being married was like, they were just role playing, but some of those aspirations might have stuck.

None of the boys in my class thought about their future much at all. I did not either really although I knew that I wanted to go to university and travel after that. I studied French and German for three years and passed my exams.

After finishing university, I started working for an international firm and did some traveling. I have always liked jewellery although I do not wear a lot at the same time. I suppose I collect jewellery, but I like to wear it too.

It was a custom of mine to buy a piece of jewellery wherever I went, if I saw something I liked and if I could afford it. Anyway, I met a young woman while I was in America and I told her about my craze for collecting jewellery and rings in particular. I showed her a couple of rings that I had taken with me. One was a ring with a Celtic Knot design and another was an Irish Claddagh ring.

Anyway, we got on well and she offered to take me to a jewellers that she knew. We went to a small back street jeweller, who had a range of rings I had never heard of before. They were called Black Hills Gold Rings and they looked very special. They have quite a range, including a lot of the common designs, but they also have a few kinds that I had never seen before. I was hooked and wanted one.

My friend really fell for a women’s wedding set. She had seen it in the window for months, but did not have anyone to give it to her. The engagement ring had two leaves and a grape cluster with a small diamond nestled in the middle of it, while the wedding band had two additional leaves and a grape cluster. This meant that when worn together, the two rings would fit together to surround the diamond completely. It was very beautiful.

I had to agree that it was very beautiful, but felt it necessary to point out that I had not known her long enough to propose. She was a good sort and did not feel offended. I bought a striking white gold ring with the Black Hills gold roses inlaid on the top two thirds of the band, leaving the bottom of the ring plain. It was a lovely addition to my collection. As for my guide, well, she did not get a ring, but I took her for an expensive meal and she seemed happy enough with that.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with theCeltic Knot wedding ring. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

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International And Inter-Racial Dating

This article is about my experiences of international and inter-racial dating. It is purely an account of what I have witnessed and experienced myself over the course of my life so far, although at 55 years old, I am nearer the end of it than the beginning. It is my advice on handling an international or inter-racial relationship.

It all began at an early age when I was in infant school at seven. There was a Filipina girl in our class and I could not take my eyes off her, although I almost certainly did not know much about it then. We parted at eight when they moved closer to another school and I never saw her again.

My next meeting with a foreign girl, was the mademoiselle junior teacher at school and I was convinced that I would marry a French country girl when I grew up. That passed when the German assistant arrived.

When I was fourteen, I went on a school cruise to Leningrad and there was a party of exchange students going home to Sweden on the same ship. I went out with one of them for roughly a week and first realized the issues that can come from international dating. There was a slight language barrier, but it was fun getting over that. The real difficulty came, because I had preconceived ideas of what Swedish girls were like, probably instilled in me after years of silly ‘Carry On’ films.

At sixteen, I went to Germany to work for the summer and I found it very easy to get on with the German girls, although they were shyer that I was expecting too. Also an attitude I owed to silly Health and Efficiency ‘sex films’.

After concluding university, I moved to The Netherlands to live. It was the seventies and Dutch girls were great. However, I made friends with male British colleagues first and soon saw some of the problems that can come from an international relationship. Most of the men I knew were typical Brits and made absolutely no attempt to learn Dutch at all. To my surprise, many Dutch people could not speak English either, particularly the parents.

This lead to a surprising quantity of stressful moments in a week and that put a lot of pressure on my friends’ relationships. It is so easy to start name-calling when you are angry and it is the worst thing you can do. The Dutch girlfriend or her parents or friends would be called ‘a stupid cheese eater’ or something just as daft and the relationship was over or in trouble for days. I do not recall what the Dutch called us.

I vowed to myself there and then never to get serious about a foreign girl because the arguments were just too much. Food was never a problem. Culture was not much of a problem, although where I was in southern Netherlands, most people were Catholic and I am not. This did perplex some parents but not me. Travelling was always going to be the drawback. Do you live by her parents or yours? Especially when children start arriving. Most countries have stronger family ties than Britain.

Then, at 50, having never been married, I went to Thailand, where I met my wife-to-be. Asian culture is very different from British or even European culture and it is a real shock to both parties. Anyway, five years into our relationship and we are still fine. I recollect the reasons I gave myself for not marrying abroad when in The Netherlands and I was incorrect, but not much.

If you are going to enter into an international or even inter-racial relationship, you had better learn how to manage your temper. It is the most important advice you will ever get. Being understanding of other points of view is important too, but not getting angry is more important. Furthermore, you must try to learn something about your partner’s land, background and language, otherwise you cannot join in any discussion your partner may have with someone who does know a bit about it.

I have never seen religion be a problem ever, except in an argument. My wife is Buddhist and I am not. We talk about it, but there is never any stress. Food, again I have never seen a problem in this field. Clothing, again no problem in my life. If you get into an international or inter-racial relationship, keep your temper, do not shout, do not get angry and talk things out calmly.

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Saving Money In The Holiday Sales

Everyone likes to take advantage of the reduced prices during the holiday sales. In fact, the best day to go shopping for special offers is the day after the actual holiday finishes.

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and it is the busiest shopping day of the year. You will get huge savings, but you will need to get up early, be prepared to queue and jostle.

Another example is jewellery and St Valentine?s Day. Many men buy their wives or girlfriends jewellery during this period as a St Valentine?s Day present. However, in the weeks after St Valentine?s Day, you can save a minimum of 30% on the very same pieces of jewellery that were on sale a week before. This is a clear sign that we are being hood-winked on these holiday occasions and that we ought to wait until the actual holiday is over.

OK, it may not seem so romantic to wait, but it must be preferable to be able to get 30% more gold for your money or to give the same gift, but be able to go for a meal too. If I were a woman, I know which alternative I would choose!

Or, instead of a nice silver or gold ring, you would be able to afford gold instead of silver or white gold instead of yellow. You could get a exquisite Celtic knot or a Claddagh ring instead of a simple band.

Beautiful Easter outfits are also pricey before Easter. However, why not buy the items you want after Easter and either make use of them next year or use them for parties, special occasions or church? You can save a lot of money in this way, just by using a little forward planning.

In order to help cut down on how much money you spend on Christmas presents, why not try buying them all year long as and when you find something appropriate in the sales? How many times have you seen something in a sale and said to yourself: ‘that would be the perfect gift for so-and-so’? It is better to take advantage of these chances and keep the items aside for when the right occasion comes up.

Then there are those post Christmas sales as well. The Boxing Day sales are a great opportunity to pick up items that you can give as gifts later in the year. And why not buy something for yourself too while you are at it? You can save a lot on your favourite perfumes. Buy enough to last you the rest of the year!

You can make your funds go a lot further if you take advantage of the post holiday sales. Rely on serendipity. Buy opportunistically and you will not only save yourself a lot of money, but you will never be stuck for a present at the last minute either.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with theCeltic Knot wedding ring. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

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Seniors Dating

A ‘senior’, by definition, is someone older than yourself or, more broadly speaking, an older member of the community. ‘Dating’, by definition refers to the courtship between two persons – which is often romantic in nature – who are either looking or not looking to find marriage.

So, ‘senior dating’ is the romantic courtship between two persons who are considered older members of society, or the romantic courtship of two people where at least one partner is an older member of society. When referred to as ‘senior’, this doesn’t have to mean that the person has to be above the age of perhaps – 60 years of age. People of over the age of, for example, 40 years are also thought of as ‘seniors’, since people are thought to live ‘three score years and ten’ (70 years), half of which is 35.

Depending which of the various senior dating services you visit, especially by means of online senior dating, the age group targeted can vary. However, generally speaking. ‘senior dating’ is designed for those who are above 40 years of age.

Senior dating gives seniors, who could be divorced, widowed or still single, a chance to meet people of the same age group and to share ideas and interests or, if a deeper bond is established between the two, a more meaningful relationship. This allows seniors to enjoy life, just as they did when they were younger. Therefore, there are various senior dating services offered on the World Wide Web.

In these senior dating services, which are of course intended for seniors, there are few photos in the profiles – which gives those who have uploaded their photos an obvious advantage. Also, some of these senior dating services offer additional services such as anonymous email, instant messaging, chat rooms and forums.

When using these senior dating websites, one should be able to make new local friends, and communicate with each other appropriately, so that likely friendships can be found. Also, if you are meeting outside the online platform, you should be sure to meet in a public place – especially if you are meeting each other for the first time and do not know the person well enough.

Another precaution you could take would be to tell someone you trust about where you’re going and with whom. However, if, for any reason, you start feeling uneasy with the person you are with, make sure to be polite and make your exit.

Although these precautions and safety measures are general knowledge, it is better to repeat them again here, since it is better to be safe than sorry. You would do well to adhere to them as well. In this way, senior dating will prove to be a successful and safe way of allowing those who are divorced, widowed or have children, to be able to reconstruct their lives and enjoy friendship with the opposite sex again.

If you want to learn more about dating, just go along to our website called Old Fiddles Crowd Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.

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