The History of the Hen Party
Where does the term “hen party” come from?
Here at Butlers in the Buff, we want your hen party to be as exciting and unforgettable as possible. But have you ever wondered where the word “hen” comes from, or how the tradition began? Well, we’ve got you covered!
Get an instant quoteTo begin with, let’s take a look at the symbolism of the hen and the stag.
The hen and the stag as symbols
In Western symbolism, the hen is linked with fertility and motherhood. That’s because she lays eggs and pays close attention to her chicks. So it’s easy to see how the word “hen” came to be used for women.
In Celtic culture, the stag stands for life, power, virility and long life. Like the bear, it embodies the force of nature. Cernunnos, a Celtic god linked with virility, is usually shown wearing a stag’s antlers.
In the Middle Ages, the stag was seen as a noble, almost royal animal. Some writers of the time linked it with faith and innocence. Its grand antlers, which are shed and grow back every year, also made it a symbol of fertility.
So the word “stag” has obvious male connotations. Stories about the very first stag night vary. Some say it began in ancient Sparta as a celebration of the groom, while others trace it back to Tudor times.
Hen party history: from Ancient Greece to today
Like the stag do, the idea of the hen party is often traced back to Ancient Greece. There, the closest thing to a hen do was part of the wedding itself.
The Greek proaulia
An ancient Greek wedding had three parts: the proaulia, the gamos and the epaulia. The proaulia took place in the last days before the wedding. The bride and her family made an offering to the gods, then celebrated with a feast.
The bride spent this time with her mother, female relatives and friends as she prepared for marriage. Together, they offered gifts to Artemis, the goddess of childbirth, to thank her for protecting the bride through childhood. It marked the bride’s move into adulthood, and it’s often seen as an early ancestor of the hen party.
Henna nights around the world
In North Africa, the Middle East and Asia, pre-wedding parties look quite different from the traditional British hen do (a Butler in the Buff and some willy paraphernalia!). Here, women gather to paint henna designs on their bodies, especially on the bride-to-be. The custom is traditionally believed to purify the bride and protect her from evil.
Tea, gossip and smart hats
While the men had their stag nights, women didn’t really get a look-in until much later. The phrase “hen party” is usually traced back to the 1800s, when it described a gathering of women. At first, it had no link to weddings at all.
A 19th-century hen party was mostly about sipping tea, having a gossip and wearing smart hats. Today’s hen do still has all of that, just with added bubbles and glitz!
In the US, an 1897 publication is said to have used “hen party” as a sniffy term for ladies’ tea and chitchat. In 1940, Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly hosted a Christmas “hen” party for cabinet wives and “ladies of the press”.
The modern hen do is born
The pre-wedding hen party we know today took off in the 1970s and 1980s. It’s often linked to the new freedoms of the 1960s sexual revolution.
How the hen party has changed
The hen party has come a long way over the decades. In the ’70s and ’80s, it was often a night in with a few Babychams. By the ’90s it had become a night out, and from the noughties onwards, plenty of hens head off for a whole weekend.
Before the 1990s, you’d have been hard pressed to find now-classic hen activities like paintballing, pole dancing or chocolate making. These days, the celebrations can last a night, a weekend or even longer. Hen parties have become big business!
As tastes change, so do expectations. A bar crawl and a few L-plates don’t always cut it any more. Many brides-to-be want a more stylish send-off, with a few tasteful surprises thrown in for good measure.
The hen party today
Modern hens might book hen party life drawing or a hen party cocktail masterclass. Or they might browse hen party packages to plan the whole day in one go.
A Butler in the Buff keeps the entertainment sophisticated, without forgetting the key ingredients of a good hen do: friends, fun and a cheeky surprise (or two). For a totally outstanding, amusing and unforgettable hen party, don’t forget to book a naked butler or two!
If you need any more reasons to book us, here’s why. And if you’re still wondering what to do on the night, here are some hen night party games ideas.
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