How the pajama parties and the scary rituals that used to be done were born
Pajama parties, i.e. 'Pyjama Parties', once upon a time had more importance for society than just a party.
According to folklore researcher Alina Mansfield, pajama parties are not just simple get-togethers with friends, but they have always represented certain rituals. Pajama parties mark the transition from childhood to femininity.
Some rituals forced women to seclude themselves according to the traditions of the Native American Hupa tribe. When girls approached puberty they were sent to live in a so-called 'lunar lodge' where they were under the guidance of 'spiritual helpers'.
Although this holiday was officially born before the 1800s, it is impossible to find evidence, documents. This is because pajama parties were considered taboo as was masturbation.
Nineteenth-century American physician William Whitty Hall warned parents that boys and girls learned to masturbate by sleeping together. Consequently, Hall condemned pajama parties due to the fact that children lost energy and body strength.
Freud later showed that masturbation was part of childhood development and was only problematic if a child did not pass this stage. The first pajama party in history, the evidence of which has come down to us, dates back to 1896 and seven girls participated.
Witches, animals and scary games are played at such parties. They were supposed to help girls with fears about growing up, puberty, menstruation, the future, and the changes in their bodies as they grow older.