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What a very interesting and sensible custom! No fuss and no muss and the newlyweds can make the necessary adjustments without the well meant jokes and advice of their friends and family.
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Now I find this Hobbit custom particularly peculiar. Even more than the shoe "thing", (having found that a brave dunedain wearing a smile, some boots and nothing else can be...)
Ahem...Anyway, considering the Hobbit's love of celebrations, I can't understand why the happy couple would pass up the opportunity to have some kind of public ceremony, since this would certainly be followed by a reception, and of course, lots of presents.
Perhaps the custom of giving gifts to others on one's birthday was thought to extend to one's wedding day as well. If that's the case, I can perfectly understand why a cash-strapped couple "just starting out" might want to elope. After a few generations of skipping out on the giving of "nuptuial gifts" to a plague of in-laws, everyone must have pretty much thown up their hands and resigned themselves to the "custom" of secret marriages.
[ April 19, 2003: Message edited by: Birdland ]