Bundling Boards: A Peek into the Peculiar Past of Courting Confinement

Imagine a time when courtship wasn't conducted under the watchful eyes of Instagram, but through a plank of wood! Enter the bundling board, a peculiar relic of colonial America. Resources were scarce, and keeping warm during long winter nights was paramount. Bundling, or 'tarrying,' allowed courting couples to spend time together indoors, often in bed, but with a barrier – the bundling board – firmly in place.

This wasn't necessarily about preventing intimacy, although that was certainly a consideration. More often, it was about practicality. Bundling saved fuel, allowed for chaperoned interaction (often with parents in the same room!), and offered a socially acceptable way for couples to get to know each other before marriage.

The bundling board might seem strange to us today, but it highlights the resourcefulness and social norms of a bygone era. It's a fascinating glimpse into how necessity, modesty, and the desire for connection intertwined in the lives of early Americans. So, next time you complain about awkward first dates, remember the bundling board – things could always be wood-en worse!