The Origins of Favors
Favors have a long history dating back many centuries.
The origins of favors even go back to ancient Rome: during weddings, the newlyweds gave their guests sugared almonds, which were honey- and almond-based sweets, that were often contained in small decorative boxes or bags.
From here, the term "sugared almond" comes from the Latin "conficere," which means "to prepare together," referring to the combination of honey and almonds.
The name "favor" instead, comes from Old French "bombon," which means sweet.
During noble weddings in the 15th century in Europe, favors were small boxes containing sweets or sugared almonds, which were given to guests as a sign of gratitude for attending the event.
These sweets were considered symbols of luck and prosperity.
Over time, favors have become a widespread custom in celebrations around the world, not only for weddings, but also for baptisms, communions, confirmations, birthdays, anniversaries, and many other special occasions.
