Give the gift of love with Love Spoons
by
Lee Lambert
Thinking about a spoon as a romantic gift has probably never entered your mind. But if you think about it in historical terms, it really is a profession of commitment – here is a spoon I made so you will be able to eat what I provide for you. Providing for one you love is a time-honored commitment that is as deeply ingrained in the human psyche as it is possible to get. Traditionally the man’s role in the relationship, a husband providing for his wife and family will always have a cache that no amount of equality between the sexes will ever truly diminish.
So you might be wondering if giving a spoon is really real, and if so the answer is yes. This is a Welsh tradition going back to the seventeenth century – the documented tradition, anyway – however its roots go back much further. The concept is as stated above – a man chooses a prospective bride and part of the courting process is carving a spoon that he presents to his chosen amore. The carving would take place during evenings of the long, cold winter or while on watch with the herds of cattle or sheep, or perhaps on a sea voyage. The original tradition most likely did involve practical use of the spoon, however over time it evolved so that part of the measure of esteem that the man placed on his chosen bride had to do with the intricacy of the carving and design. This deep-seated tradition has thus given birth to a more modern one, and love spoons were born.
Today, the tradition continues although it is not common for today’s modern man to do the carving himself. Artists and craftsmen who specialize in wood carving become renowned for their talents and display their creations in shops and galleries. These beautiful and intricate carvings are available for purchase, so the tradition is maintained although slightly changed from the potential husband creating the spoon himself to buying and presenting the one he thinks his girlfriend or fianc might love the best. Sometimes the carvings are representative of elements that speak to the couple – shared passions, hopes and dreams, and activities or hobbies are commonly seen. Those love spoons that are carved with caged balls indicate the number of desired children from the match by how many balls the cages contain. It has also become a gift that can be presented on other occasions such as anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, the celebration of a child born, and other milestone moments.
These lovely and long-standing traditional pieces are painstakingly carved out of soft woods like sycamore or lime – sometimes known as a Linden tree in Europe. And in Wales, there is really only one place to go to see the widest collection of loving spoons available worldwide – The Lovespoon Gallery in Swansea. The greatest Welsh craftsmen alive today display their creations at The Lovespoon Gallery, so this wonderful tradition can be curated and maintained for future generations. Visit www.welshlovespoon.com to browse their gallery, and help keep the Welsh love spoons tradition alive.
Visit The Lovespoon Gallery today and view the best
love spoons
found anywhere. You will fall in love with
Welsh love spoons
.
Article Source:
eArticlesOnline.com
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