A little history:
Broom jumping is most famous in the United States as an African American wedding custom. During the antebellum period in the United States, slave marriages were not recognized as legal or binding. The broom jumping ritual was a symbolic act within slave communities for marriage. Many African American couples are taking back this custom and incorporating it as part of their modern ceremony. Broom jumping was not done only by slaves however, poor Caucasians in the South and in New England, as well as Gypsies also used this marriage ritual. The jumping of the broom is of Welsh and Celtic origin. In the Celtic ritual, it is a symbol of fertility. Several couples interested in history or pagan ritual also are now adopting this custom in their weddings.
In modern times:
Done as an act of remembrance and to honor the ancestors of the past. Compared to the Jewish wedding ritual of crushing a glass for the destruction of the temple. A broom itself represents cleanliness, the hearth and family. It can also represent fertility. The jumping of the broom is a leap of faith into marriage. In some parts of Africa, ceremonial brooms are used to sweep away evil.
(Taken from Do It Yourself Weddings)
So, without further ado, our broom:
Very Pretty! Did you make this yourself? When I researched the history of the "broom jump" I was surprised to find it had such a diverse history. I think learning that made me fall in love with the tradition even more!
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