The Spoons District

The Spoons District

The  Spoons District - Whether talking wood, pewter, copper or silver, spoons have a long and rich history.  For instance, did you know that the Welsh created Love Spoons which were traditionally (and still are) given as a present to a couple on their wedding day as well as an invitation to begin courtship.  The saying, "born with a silver spoon in your mouth" originated  from silver being such a precious metal, and of course babies need to be fed with spoons.  In the past when a child was christened it was traditional for the godparents to give a silver spoon as a gift (if they could afford it).  However, a child born in a rich family did not have to wait.  He or she had it all from the start, thus the phrase 'born with a silver spoon in their mouth'.  During the Middle Ages, spoons, generally made of wood or horn were supplied by dinner hosts.  Royalty often had spoons made of gold, and other wealthy families generally had silver spoons.  However, beginning around the 14th Century, spoons made of tinned iron, brass, pewter, and other metals became common.  The use of pewter, especially, made spoons more affordable for the general populace.

And so the stories go.  The importance of bringing family and friends together at the "table" to socialize, celebrate and connect with each other is another important connection that spoons symbolize, and in today's busy world, this at times can be one of the most challenging hurdles for families to overcome.

The Spoons District will will offer up a collection of restaurants, art and history.  The SAS Group will commission artists to create large spoon carvings to be displayed in the public plaza much like the native totem poles found on the Canadian West Coast, and restaurants will be required to incorporate an historical spoon display in their establishements. Through spoons, art and story we will learn about our history and the history of other cultures.

 

Below you will find further information on the Welsh Love Spoon.  We think you will find it quite intriguing.

 

 

History of the Welsh Love Spoon - During the long winter nights, families isolated in their crofts would gather around the fire for warmth and light. As they sang the old songs and listened to the stories of ancient days, the men would patiently carve spoons, whittling at a piece of wood, teasing a shape from the lifeless block. A unique tool evolved to carve the spoons, the “twca cam” (the curved dagger) with a long handle and hooked blade. It was with this tool that the carver fashioned the bowl of the spoon. Then with his own knife he would whittle away at the wood, creating the handle and smoothing the finished article.
As time went on, the designs on the spoons became more and more intricate. Some were double bowled, or two spoons linked with a wooden chain. The handles became longer and broader, pierced with hearts and circles. The soft curves and rounded edges became beautiful in design but impractical for everyday use and were instead given as gifts and as tokens of love.
It is believed the spoons became an invitation from a youth to a maid to begin courting, and many believe that the English term of “spooning” derives from this Welsh tradition. Other Celtic nations have similar traditions, in particular the Bretons, who carved special “marriage spoons” for presentation to a couple on their wedding day.
As many of the men who carved these spoons would have been illiterate, the love spoons with their intricate designs carried an unwritten message to the women they loved. Each symbol, lovingly carved into the spoon, carried a particular message.

Today’s love spoons are not only given as messages of love to a sweetheart, but more and more as symbols of friendship and caring. The love spoon still carries its ancient message of love and understanding, but today that message goes far beyond the boundaries of Wales.