Wondering what National Flitch Day is and what you can do to celebrate it? You’ll be pleased to discover that this is not your typical Hallmark holiday. In fact, you won’t need to purchase a card, get a gift or come up with something clever. All you have to do is eat bacon! Yes, that’s right! Eat bacon on July 19th!
What Is A Flitch Of Bacon?
A flitch is a measurement of bacon that we now call a slab of bacon (sounds good already!) which was awarded to couples during the annual Flitch Trials that date back to the early 1100s in England. The Flitch Trials decreed that a couple who had been married and faithful for at least a year and a day, could literally “bring home the bacon” on July 19th.
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Just what did the couples have to do to earn their flitch? They had to stand in front of a jury of their peers and confess that they still loved one another and had been faithful in their marriage. In Great Dunmow, England, Flitch Trials are still held every four years (leap years), in front of a jury that is made up of six dapper bachelors and six bridal bachelorettes. Your next opportunity to participate is July 2016, so you only have another year to tie the knot before going on trial!
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The couple must convince the jury that they do not regret being married and are cross-examined by counsel who attempts to show they are undeserving of the reward. If the couple is deemed successful, they receive their flitch of bacon and are paraded through the streets.
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While you wait for this practice to be instituted in the United States, you can still be makin’ the bacon on July 19th by purchasing your own slab and creating a delicious dish, because everyone knows everything tastes better with bacon!
Commemorate your marital vows in your own Flitch Trial with our unique bacon ornament! Made of spun glass and “marbled” just like a real bacon slice with curled up edges, this ornament can be personalized with your special message or oath of love and faithfulness!
