Normally, one would consult the English Oxford Dictionary when seeking the definition of a term or phrase; but, in this case, we shall be consulting the Urban Dictionary. Oh, you can bank on that. A hen night is "a girls' night outlaid on for the bride getting married the next day," as defined by Urban Dictionary. This seems like a reasonable description, even if hen parties are now often held a few months before the major (with the exception of those in Eastenders).
It's frequently stated that hen parties are just a more refined version of stag weekends, but whomever said that clearly hasn't gone to a very nice one. A hen party may consist of anything from champagne and small talk to seeing the shy sister of the bride get off with the bouncer and vomit all over herself. Cute. Regardless, many cultures have their own customs, and most of them centre on a celebration for the bride before the wedding. Involvement in social activities is a must. No requirement for strippers or slut drops.
Are you curious about the origin of the term "hen party?" The origin of the term "hen party" begs the question: what does this celebration have to do with chickens?
Despite what you may think, the phrase "hen party" actually has nothing to do with laying hens.
Vogue Ballroom has proven itself to be an iconic wedding venue and function centre in Melbourne. Book today so you don’t miss out
Why is a hen called a hen?
The origin of the term "hen party" can be traced back to the fact that "hen" has not always referred to a female chicken; in fact, the word's etymology reveals that it was once used to refer to the female of any bird, and even the female gender of some species of animal, all the way back in Middle English.
The term "stag" also denoted the male of a species. As a result, the term stag party began to be used to describe a gathering where only men were invited, just how the term hen party became synonymous with a gathering where only women were invited.
The term "hen do," on the other hand, has been traced back to the 1800s, when it was used to refer to a social gathering of women.
Tea and chitchats, clever gossip caps, comprise the required adjuncts to this specific meetings, The Deseret News wrote in 1897 about hen parties in the United States.
Eleanor Roosevelt, a politician and activist, was said to have thrown a Christmas hen party for cabinet spouses and "women of the press" in 1940.
Is the bride the hen?
All the women in attendance are referred to collectively as "the hens" or "the hen party." The bride is also known as the hen, however she prefers to be called "The Bride" when referring to the actual wedding.
Other names for a hen party
Even amongst native English speakers, there is considerable variety in the terminology used to describe hen and stag parties.
Here are some synonyms you may use instead of "hen" or "stag" when referring to these celebrations:
- Party for the Hen and the Buck Down Under
- North America: Hen and Stag Dos.
- "The Kitchen Tea" is a popular type of gathering in South Africa. Just before the wedding, the bride-to-female be's relatives and friends have a tea party and provide gifts for the newlyweds' kitchen.
- In Canada, the "Stag and Doe" party is a pre-wedding event when both men and women get together to collect money for the bride and groom's big day.
When did hen parties start?
It turns out that the tradition of holding a party before a wedding has been around for a lot longer than we would have thought. Predictably, the stag party idea came first. We can only speculate about the types of ale-fueled feasts that were enjoyed at the known stag parties that were already happening in Tudor times.
Stag parties have been around for a long time, although some claim they were originally held by the Spartans in the 5th century B.C. to commemorate a man's final night of independence before marriage.
Dinners were arranged and toasts were offered to the future bridegroom among the Spartan warriors. Maybe strippers weren't as common as they are now, and there were a lot less shots to go around.
the hen parties didn't show up till later. Pre 19th Century, women might have had a bridal shower where they would hopefully be 'showered' with gifts (think more embroidered handkerchiefs than matching "Bride Tribe" bikinis) to prepare them for married life and to provide a dowry.
A history of hen parties
A bunch of women with pink sashes, cowboy hats, and, of course, a penis-related prop may be found just about anywhere. But how did they grow to such a massive size? (We are referring to bachelorette parties here!)
How about a little bit of history? And that's why we're about to offer you one. Although hen parties have been around for quite some time, it wasn't until the 1970s that they really started to gain traction. This, according to specialists, can be attributed to the sexual revolution of the '60s.
Although the term "hen party" has been in use since the 1800s, it wasn't until much later that it gained its current meaning. The N-gram viewer on Google Books examines millions of books for keywords and finds an uptick in the use of 'hen party' beginning in the 1960s. In fact, the term "hen party" wasn't even used for the first time in print by the Times Newspaper until 1976. On the other hand, it concerned a male stripper who acted inappropriately. A bad lad.
The more research is done on hen parties, the more novel it seems. Once you'd decided that someone was the one for you three million years ago, you got down to work and started hunting together. Nothing about nude pictures or side chicks was a concern. Accordingly, tying the knot ended up being of little significance.
Nonetheless, the acquisition of land and the empowerment of women both rose in significance as the value of animals and plants grew. Marriage was first considered as a joyous occasion, but it quickly evolved into a marketable commodity for women. The hen party as we know it now wouldn't become common practise until a few years later.
On nights and bridal showers, what's the difference?
Even though they both have the same purpose, hen parties and wedding showers are quite different events. A hen party is loud and raucous, while a hen shower is more demure and refined. Playing 'Pin the Bouquet on the Bride' and eating cupcakes and drinking rose tea are typical activities during a bridal shower, which is often held at the bride's home (Okay we made the last bit up). A hen party often involves slathering baby oil on a stripper and stuffing a donna kebab into your mouth. If a more sophisticated hen party is more your style, consider the following suggestions.
The price tag is another distinction. In most cases, the hens will chip in to cover the cost of the party. In most cases, the bride's family will cover the costs of the bridal shower. In addition, the hen'shen's are typically given gift bags containing quirky goods at the hen party. In the same vein as a baby shower, visitors at a bridal shower traditionally give gifts to the bride.
How do you plan a hen party?
We know how overwhelming it can be to organise a hen party, so we've put up this comprehensive guide to assist you out.
- Greetings, bride! Find out whether she wants to travel and if she has any specific requests. Even though it's likely that you'd want the festivities remain a surprise, these questions will be useful.
- Start a guest list. Once again, consulting the bride is recommended. Ignore her expression when she finds out her favourite cousin wasn't invited.
- Start a group message. Setting up a group chat is the most convenient approach to coordinate costs, schedules, and activities. In addition, once the weekend is done, you may send along all the images.
- Pick a place and reserve lodging.
- Make a schedule. It's crucial to plan entertaining activities for the hen party, such as cocktail making, naked life painting workshops, multi-activity days, or a trip to the theatre.
- Draft a kitten. Having a cat is convenient when travelling in big parties, but it may also be used for planning ahead. By keeping all of your financial transactions in one place, you can easily keep tabs on who owes what and prevent your close friend from playing games with your money. To those in the know:
- Think through the specifics. Prepare everything from the activities to the guest attire to the party favours!
- Have fun, and don't forget to send out an itinerary a week in advance!
Therefore, we hope that all your questions about hen parties have been answered, whether you're the bride-to-be or a hen party organiser. The finest hen party planning starts with a conversation or a glance at these helpful hints.
We have created the ultimate list of Hens Party Ideas for you and the girls to created a day and night she’ll never forget.
Who Uses The Term Hen?
The word "hen" is only used in some parts of the world. Known as a stag party in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations like Australia, the American equivalent is called a Bachelorette. This phrase originally referred to a mediaeval knight who served under another's banner. However, the word "hen" does, or at least did, appear in the United States. Before it became associated with weddings, the phrase simply meant a get-together of women. Reports from 1940 indicate that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt hosted a "hen party" for female government officials and journalists.
Now, "Hen party" is nearly always heard only in the United Kingdom. The phrase has survived in several English-speaking nations, such as Australia and New Zealand. The male stag is called a buck, while the female is called a hen.
How long has the term been used?
The year 1897 was the earliest documented use of the word in the United States of America. Hen parties as an institution date back to the 19th century. In the past, only the men would have a bachelor party before the bride and groom tied the knot. Google's N-Gram tool, which analyses how often a word appears in books, revealed a sharp uptick in the use of the term "hen party" beginning in the 1960s, providing a useful marker for the rise in popularity of both the word and the event. Even while an all-female celebration known as a "hen party" had been discussed previously, no connection had ever been made to marriages. In 1976, the first time the word was used in connection with weddings in the United Kingdom was in The Times. A male dancer was brought before the Leicester Crown Court for 'lewd and indecent behaviour,' in a tale typical of many told at hen parties. Something our **Adonisan partners** are all too familiar with.
To get more hens night ideas, check out our post on Who should pay for hens night?
Where does the Hen term come from?
A hen do can be defined in a few different ways. The word "hen" is commonly used to refer to a female chicken, thus it seems sense that all of the guests will be female as well. Like people would do **on the streets of Manchester**, chickens tend to cluster together in the field.
There is also a medium English-based explanation. The term "hens" was originally applied to the female of any bird, not simply chickens. This eventually made its way into common Medieval speech. According to the book, stags may follow the narrative all the way back to ancient Greece and the Tudor era. Spartan men would throw a party in honour of the future bridegroom.
More exotic origins make for a more intriguing idea. Traditional wedding ceremonies in parts of North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia do not include the same elements that are central to American nuptials. The practise of applying henna designs on the skin of the bride-to-be is one example. It is said that this will cleanse the bride of any evil spirits. So, the henna ceremony is equivalent to a stag or hen party. While it's lovely, in the West, henna has been replaced by fake tan as the prefered method of body art for women.
Regardless of the origin of the term, it is always gratifying to learn that bridesmaids are now as likely as groomsmen to partake in a pre-ceremony celebration. The phrase "hen party," which may have originated in either mediaeval England or the henna celebrations of the East, is here to stay. It's in our name, so we hope so!
Why is a hen party called a hen party?
These days, it's unheard of for the bride and groom to seal the knot without first celebrating their last few days of freedom with a hen or stag party. As a result, we've heard of some fairly out-there hen party activities, including making perfume and racing go-karts. But why are they called "hen" and "stag" parties, respectively? Where exactly did all of these gatherings start?
All right, time for the historical context. Most people think that the words "hen" and "stag" came from preconceived notions about the sex of the two sexes. In Middle English, the hen may refer to the female of any bird, hence the term "hen party" originally referred to a gathering for women alone. An even older tradition is the stag party, which is a celebration limited to males (you got it) since the word "stag" originally referred to the male of any animal, not simply a male deer.
As it turns out, hen parties have a long history that predates contemporary times. I'm willing to guess, though, that they didn't have any such so out-there hen parties back then. Anyone for ag skydiving hens? I'm curious as to where these words got their start. Stag parties have been going on at least since the Tudor era (sorry, Hens!). Think of all the invitations Henry VIII had to send out!
Multiple historical accounts place the first stag party, a pre-wedding feast to toast the future groom, in 5th century Sparta. Hen parties, on the other hand, have their origins in the cultures of the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa. This is due to the fact that in all of these cultures, henna is a traditional part of wedding ceremonies, making it the most likely origin of the term from which hens get together. Henna is very crucial in the East, where it is believed to have purifying properties and protect the bride from harm.
In the United Kingdom, we celebrate the bride's and groom's last days of freedom with parties called hen and stag, respectively. Hen party and buck party are the terms used in Australia, where they serve the same purpose but reflect cultural variances. In contrast, American pre-wedding celebrations are known as a "bachelorette party" for the female guests and a "stag party" for the male guests.
No matter who you are or where you come from, you can't deny that getting married is a major life choice. There's no better way to bid farewell to your single days than with a big party.
Conclusion
Urban Dictionary defines hen night as "a girls' night outlaid on for the bride getting married the next day". A hen party may consist of anything from champagne and small talk to seeing the shy sister of the bride get off with the bouncer and vomit all over herself. Eleanor Roosevelt threw a Christmas hen party for cabinet spouses and "women of the press" in 1940. In Canada, the "Stag and Doe" party is a pre-wedding event when both men and women collect money for the bride and groom's big day. The term 'hen party' has been in use since the 1800s, but it wasn't until the 1970s that it gained its current meaning.
A hen party often involves slathering baby oil on a stripper and stuffing a donna kebab into your mouth. The hen'shen are typically given gift bags containing quirky goods at the hen party. In the same vein as a baby shower, visitors at a bridal shower traditionally give gifts to the bride. The hens will chip in to cover the cost of the party, unlike the brides-to-be. "Hen party" is nearly always heard only in the United Kingdom.
The phrase has survived in several English-speaking nations, such as Australia and New Zealand. Google's N-Gram tool revealed a sharp uptick in the use of the term "hen party" beginning in the 1960s. The term "hens" was originally applied to the female of any bird, not simply chickens. Stags may follow the narrative all the way back to ancient Greece and the Tudor era. An even older tradition is the stag party, which is a celebration limited to males.
Hen parties have their origins in the cultures of the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa. Stag parties have been going on at least since the Tudor era. Henna is very crucial in the East, believed to have purifying properties and protect the bride from harm.
Content Summary
- A hen night is "a girls' night outlaid on for the bride getting married the next day," as defined by Urban Dictionary.
- A hen party may consist of anything from champagne and small talk to seeing the shy sister of the bride get off with the bouncer and vomit all over herself.
- Regardless, many cultures have their own customs, and most of them centre on a celebration for the bride before the wedding.
- Are you curious about the origin of the term "hen party?"
- The origin of the term "hen party" begs the question: what does this celebration have to do with chickens?Despite what you may think, the phrase "hen party" actually has nothing to do with laying hens.
- Vogue Ballroom has proven itself to be an iconic wedding venue and function centre in Melbourne.
- As a result, the term stag party began to be used to describe a gathering where only men were invited, just how the term hen party became synonymous with a gathering where only women were invited.
- The term "hen do," on the other hand, has been traced back to the 1800s, when it was used to refer to a social gathering of women.
- Eleanor Roosevelt, a politician and activist, was said to have thrown a Christmas hen party for cabinet spouses and "women of the press" in 1940.Is the bride the hen?All the women in attendance are referred to collectively as "the hens" or "the hen party."
- The bride is also known as the hen, however she prefers to be called "The Bride" when referring to the actual wedding.
- Other names for a hen partyEven amongst native English speakers, there is considerable variety in the terminology used to describe hen and stag parties.
- In Canada, the "Stag and Doe" party is a pre-wedding event when both men and women get together to collect money for the bride and groom's big day.
- When did hen parties start?It turns out that the tradition of holding a party before a wedding has been around for a lot longer than we would have thought.
- Predictably, the stag party idea came first.
- We can only speculate about the types of ale-fueled feasts that were enjoyed at the known stag parties that were already happening in Tudor times.
- Stag parties have been around for a long time, although some claim they were originally held by the Spartans in the 5th century B.C. to commemorate a man's final night of independence before marriage.
- Although hen parties have been around for quite some time, it wasn't until the 1970s that they really started to gain traction.
- This, according to specialists, can be attributed to the sexual revolution of the '60s.
- Although the term "hen party" has been in use since the 1800s, it wasn't until much later that it gained its current meaning.
- The N-gram viewer on Google Books examines millions of books for keywords and finds an uptick in the use of 'hen party' beginning in the 1960s.
- In fact, the term "hen party" wasn't even used for the first time in print by the Times Newspaper until 1976.
- Marriage was first considered as a joyous occasion, but it quickly evolved into a marketable commodity for women.
- On nights and bridal showers, what's the difference?Even though they both have the same purpose, hen parties and wedding showers are quite different events.
- A hen party is loud and raucous, while a hen shower is more demure and refined.
- In most cases, the hens will chip in to cover the cost of the party.
- In most cases, the bride's family will cover the costs of the bridal shower.
- How do you plan a hen party?We know how overwhelming it can be to organise a hen party, so we've put up this comprehensive guide to assist you out.
- Find out whether she wants to travel and if she has any specific requests.
- Start a guest list.
- Make a schedule.
- Prepare everything from the activities to the guest attire to the party favours!
- Have fun, and don't forget to send out an itinerary a week in advance!Therefore, we hope that all your questions about hen parties have been answered, whether you're the bride-to-be or a hen party organiser.
- The word "hen" is only used in some parts of the world.
- Known as a stag party in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations like Australia, the American equivalent is called a Bachelorette.
- This phrase originally referred to a mediaeval knight who served under another's banner.
- However, the word "hen" does, or at least did, appear in the United States.
- Before it became associated with weddings, the phrase simply meant a get-together of women.
- Reports from 1940 indicate that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt hosted a "hen party" for female government officials and journalists.
- Now, "Hen party" is nearly always heard only in the United Kingdom.
- The phrase has survived in several English-speaking nations, such as Australia and New Zealand.
- The male stag is called a buck, while the female is called a hen.
- How long has the term been used?The year 1897 was the earliest documented use of the word in the United States of America.
- Hen parties as an institution date back to the 19th century.
- Google's N-Gram tool, which analyses how often a word appears in books, revealed a sharp uptick in the use of the term "hen party" beginning in the 1960s, providing a useful marker for the rise in popularity of both the word and the event.
- In 1976, the first time the word was used in connection with weddings in the United Kingdom was in The Times.
- The word "hen" is commonly used to refer to a female chicken, thus it seems sense that all of the guests will be female as well.
- Spartan men would throw a party in honour of the future bridegroom.
- Traditional wedding ceremonies in parts of North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia do not include the same elements that are central to American nuptials.
- So, the henna ceremony is equivalent to a stag or hen party.
- The phrase "hen party," which may have originated in either mediaeval England or the henna celebrations of the East, is here to stay.
- Most people think that the words "hen" and "stag" came from preconceived notions about the sex of the two sexes.
- In Middle English, the hen may refer to the female of any bird, hence the term "hen party" originally referred to a gathering for women alone.
- As it turns out, hen parties have a long history that predates contemporary times.
- Stag parties have been going on at least since the Tudor era (sorry, Hens!).
- Think of all the invitations Henry VIII had to send out!Multiple historical accounts place the first stag party, a pre-wedding feast to toast the future groom, in 5th century Sparta.
- Hen parties, on the other hand, have their origins in the cultures of the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa.
- This is due to the fact that in all of these cultures, henna is a traditional part of wedding ceremonies, making it the most likely origin of the term from which hens get together.
- In the United Kingdom, we celebrate the bride's and groom's last days of freedom with parties called hen and stag, respectively.
- Hen party and buck party are the terms used in Australia, where they serve the same purpose but reflect cultural variances.
- In contrast, American pre-wedding celebrations are known as a "bachelorette party" for the female guests and a "stag party" for the male guests.
- No matter who you are or where you come from, you can't deny that getting married is a major life choice.
- There's no better way to bid farewell to your single days than with a big party.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hens Party
A Hen's party and Bachelorette party are two terms used to describe the same thing – it simply depends on where you live (Hen's in the UK and Australia vs. Bachelorette in the US). Both are a final 'hurrah! ' for the bride-to-be as a single woman, alongside her closest female friends.
Whilst there's no hard and fast rule, tradition dictates that the bridesmaids and the other attendees cover the cost of the bride's place on her hen weekend.
These two celebrations may seem similar, however they're actually vastly different. Hen's nights are known for being a bit wild. They often involve lots of alcohol, nudity and just general debauchery or mischief. The bridal shower is a tamer party that tends to be multi-generational and quite sophisticated.
Depending on the type of hens party, an average guest can expect to pay between $100-$200 for the activities. However, some bridesmaids choose to opt for a less expensive party that is all about the DIY.
If you've got a hen weekend looming then it's time to start thinking about gifts for the bride. Although it's in no way compulsory to give the bride hen party gifts, it is definitely a nice little extra that doesn't have to cost much as you can split it between all the hens.
