A noisy mock serenade for newlyweds. Also called regionally charivari, belling, horning, serenade.
Hmmm, usually knitting is a fairly quiet sport, isn't it?
Regional Note: Shivaree is the most common American regional form of charivari, a French word meaning "a noisy mock serenade for newlyweds" and probably deriving in turn from a Late Latin word meaning "headache."
Well, it just keeps getting better, doesn't it? How often do we find French words that combine the concepts of "Newlyweds" and "Headaches"? And then: Why would someone want to name a Sweater, a Scarf, and a THROW by that name? Yep, I've been to a real Ozark Shivaree. But the wedding was in June, so this wouldn't even be appropriate for the Shivaree-ers to wear. Maybe if the wedding, or honeymoon was in, say, what? October? Yeah, that's the ticket: When there's a fall wedding, you can wear this special Shivaree outfit to go down to the holler to THROW them A SHIVAREE and make up some racket to really make sure your best friends can really have a good headache for their honeymoon.
Yeah, Git' er done!
And now we know why those elopements are so darn popular.
