Babies, couples and…evil spirits?

I admitted spring arrived when that “cold” that lasted 5 weeks morphed into allergies. Of course if your allergies aren’t sign enough, there’s always the abundance of giddy, hand-holding couples and babies having play dates at Weaver St. to remind you spring is here to stay…at least for a few more months.

With the onset of spring I find myself pausing to consider all those clever little springy phrases, like “spring fever” or “spring cleaning.” Sure, I’m cleaning out my closet to find my missing flip flops, but is there more to the phrase “spring cleaning” than admitting to yourself that yes, maybe you should reintroduce yourself to your mop?

I’ll reach way back into a place I generally prefer not to go…yes, a memory from high school! According to my high school drama teacher,”spring cleaning” actually comes from a practice medieval families engaged in each year. Every spring they would whip out the family tub and take baths. Why did they postpone bathing until spring? Because full-body submersion in water made it easier for evil spirits to enter your body in the good ol’ days.

Gross, you say, but wait, there’s more! Despite the threat of demon possession, even medieval mothers know you can’t stay cruddy forever. However in those days ”bathing” was a relative term. I suppose it still is to most 4 year olds, but that’s beside the point. Ye olde medieval bathing started with the father. First dad would wash in the communal tub, but note the word communal and also remember that this is a once-a-year event. Murky water is an understatement.

So next mom hops in the water dad used, then the oldest child…all the way down to the baby. Yes, the baby goes last. Who wouldn’t believe bathing leads to spirit possession when this practice likely spreads the flu, or worse? Makes you want to grab the Scrubbing Bubbles and give your bathroom a good cleaning, now doesn’t it? Happy spring cleaning everyone!