The story of friendship bracelets is an interesting one. You can see people from every age wearing them to symbolize the friendships that are dear to their hearts. From the elderly to the children, everyone seems to be wearing beautiful friendship bracelets. They have become a part of the life of many people, allowing them to remember their close friends and loved ones. But you might wonder what the story behind this tradition is and what makes this tradition so special? What is the history of this fashion accessory? What do these bracelets symbolize? What are the variations of these bracelets, and how to wear them?
Let’s answer all these questions by sharing the fascinating story of friendship bracelets with you all.
What are Friendship Bracelets?
Before we discuss the history of friendship bracelets, it is important to know what friendship bracelets are. Friendship bracelets are a type of matching wristband worn by friends and loved ones. Usually, these bracelets are given by friends to each other to symbolize their friendship. It is common for these bracelets to be handmade as friends create these bracelets themselves and present them to each other. You can check wrist-band.com for more customized wristbands.
People then wear these friendship bracelets every day to symbolize their friendship until they wear down or fall off. These bracelets also tend to be unisex, so both males and females can wear them. Friendship bracelets are very popular among people of all ages as they are worn by the older generations as well as the younger generations. Different variations of friendship bracelets exist that can vary a lot in terms of design, style, material, and colors.
History of Friendship Bracelets
It is not easy to determine the exact origin of friendship bracelets. Many different origins present themselves when we go looking for an origin to the tradition of friendship bracelets. It might surprise you to learn that friendship bracelets are not a modern invention. In fact, they in the modern world are a resurgence of the tradition of wearing friendship bracelets.
Friendship bracelets themselves are ancient – generally considered to have originated from the indigenous people of Central and South America. This, however, is contested by the fact that decorative knots have been dated back to China from 481 BC to 221 BC. The Chinese used these knots as decorations for clothing, buttons, and household objects.
Another possible origin for friendship bracelets can be the craft of creating complex patterns by tying knots called Macramé. Macramé is considered to have been developed in 13th century Arabia where weavers would create knotted patterns with the fringe at the edge of an item they weaved on a loom. This craft eventually ended up in France and Italy.
Many basic knots used by sailors today are the same ones used in Macramé as the knot-tying craft was used to pass the time by sailors. Macramé eventually became quite popular in Britain during the 19th century. The craft also resurged during the 1960s in the United States, although its popularity declined again. Finally, Macramé started to become popular again during the start of the 21st century.
Whatever the origins of the practice may be, it is important to note that the reason behind the popularity of friendship bracelets today is the resurgence of the tradition of crafting and wearing friendship bracelets in the United States in the 1970s. Another major contributor to the popularity of friendship bracelets today is the use of these bracelets during the 1980s in protests regarding the disappearance of Mayan Indians and peasants in Guatemala.
Friendship bracelets were also brought to the United States to be used for political purposes by religious groups. However, in the modern-day, these bracelets have come to symbolize friendship, love, and closeness between friends.
Meaning behind Friendship Bracelets
Friendship bracelets act as a symbol of friendship between two individuals. Friends chose a style of bracelets that embodies their friendship the most. Friendship bracelets allow two individuals to feel close to each other even when they are far away by providing them with an identical physical thing through which they can feel close to each other.
The act of making a friendship bracelet itself is a symbol of love and care you have for your friend as you put your time and effort into making that bracelet. The style of a friendship bracelet can embody the personality of your friend.
In short, wearing a friendship bracelet or giving a friendship bracelet to your friend can help you capture the essence of your friendship.
Folklore Associated with Friendship Bracelets
As stated above, it is generally accepted that friendship bracelets originated from the indigenous people of South and Central America. The Native American tradition dictates that the maker of the friendship bracelet makes it with love and care for the one he is going to give the bracelet to. The person who receives the bracelet can have one wish. The bracelet maker ties the bracelet onto their friend’s wrist, and the person receiving the bracelet can make a wish. Then if the receiving individual wears the bracelet constantly without taking it off until it falls off naturally due to wear and tear, the wish is supposed to come true. Wearing the bracelet until it is worn out and falls off also shows the recipient’s appreciation for the effort and hard work that the bracelet maker put into making the bracelet.
Making of Friendship Bracelets
There are many different types of friendship bracelets you and your friends can make. You can start with a simple friendship bracelet design, such as the candy stripe friendship bracelet. Then you can work your way up to more complex designs, such as hearts, chevrons, or double chevrons, etc.
Chose the design you think is perfect for you and your friends and start making your friendship bracelets. You can find many tutorials online for friendship bracelets designs, from basic designs for beginners to more complex designs to make your friendship bracelet look more intricate.
Different materials can be used to make friendship bracelets, such as cords, strings, silk, linen, leather, and wire, etc., and you can also choose to use beads and other forms of decoration to make your friendship bracelets look more beautiful and out of the ordinary.
At the end of the day, friendship bracelets are used to symbolize your friendship and love for each other. Hence, you should craft them according to your own style and preferences, so they can represent your relationship perfectly.
Conclusion
Friendship bracelets have been used for a long time by friends to symbolize their friendship and mutual love and respect. It is a tradition that has become a part of the lives of many people around the globe. However, most people don’t know the story behind this modern tradition. We hope this article will help you understand the history and importance this tradition has held through the history of human beings and how it has changed over time to represent the beauty of friendship.
The story of friendship bracelets is a long one, yet it gives us the message highlighting the importance of friendship, and now hopefully, you better understand this story of friendship and friendship bracelets.