Hen Night

Hen Night

Hen Night – Origins of the Concept

Looking at words meaning and origin in Middle English, hen meant the female of any bird.  Therefore, a hen night or hen party is one which is exclusively female.   It is believed that the hen night got its name from the very hen nature that it proliferates, pointing to the female vibrant and bubbly disposition.  It gave rise to the idea that a hen night will be an event where the bride to be can have a blast among girlfriends and enjoy herself.

There are many opinions on the origins of the hen night

One of them takes us back to the Netherlands and the legend of a poor miller who asked to marry a beautiful girl but had nothing to offer as a dowry.  Needless to say, the father of the beautiful girl was not impressed with the poor guy and didn’t give his permission for the wedding.  The girlfriends of the heartbroken beauty then decided to go to her place with gifts and presents and make up the shortfall of what the father expected.  This was enough for him to change his mind and to give his blessings.  This is how some people believe the concept of the hen night began.

Another very different theory is that the expression “hen party” comes from the henna plant.  The henna is part of wedding rituals in India, North Africa and the Middle East. In these rituals, henna tattoos are applied to the hands of the bride on the night before her wedding.  The purpose of the custom is to protect the bride to be from bad luck and spirits.

There are different terms for a hen night around the globe

Irrespective of where the hen night started from, it is nowadays a commercial event enjoyed by girls all over the world.   We have “bachelorette party” in the US, while “hen party” and “hen night” is more common in Australia as well as in UK and Ireland.  In Canada, the term “stagette” is used, while South Africans call it “kitchen tea”.  Businesses sell decorations and novelties for hen parties including things like “piñatas”, fur-lined handcuffs, “willy whistles” and adult toys.  Others sell hen party kits with games and party gear.  There are also many companies that specialise in bachelorette weekend packages, pampering services, pole dancing hen parties, male striptease, etc.  Take full advantage of the variety in the marketplace to create an unforgettable and pleasurable hen night you and your friends will always remember.