May Birching
In times gone by on May Eve between sunset & dawn on the following morning, the May Birchers used to go on their secret rounds affixing branches of trees & even plant-sprigs, either on or before the doors of their neighbours houses. As the trees were chosen for their meaning or symbolism or because their names ryhmed with a more descriptive meaning of their opinion of the occupants. The message left by the tree branches was all too clear to the occupant and rest of the village. Lime, rhyming with prime & pear, meaning fair of face or of character were seen as a compliment as was a flowering branch of hawthorn, but any other thorn meant someone in the house was an object of scorn. The rowan or wicken rhyming with chicken was seen as sign of affection. Other more meaningful messages were briar for liar, plum for glum, holly for folly and alder for scowler as it was pronounced 'owler' in many districts accents. Those who were really unpopular or frowned upon because of their actions suffered worse. Gorse in bloom outside a womans door meant she was of doubtful reputation, and a nut branch outside her door meant she was a slut. Other insults to show unpopularity or dislike include sloes, elder, thistles, nettles, crab-tree branches, and in the county of Lancashire the worst possible insult was to scatter salt before a persons door.
Generally the 'birches' represented the honest opinions of the villagers, & was often intended as a warning of what the persons behaviour was seen as. But it was also used in malice as well or for revenge, which in its really insulting meanings could do a woman serious harm, causing bitter ill feeling, even leading to violent repercussions.
The practice of May Birching was very popular in small close knit communities, particularly in the north-west counties and the Midlands. These were places where everyone knew one another & where people's opinions of their neighbours really mattered. As areas became more densely populated with strangers moving into the area the practice eventually faded in around the 1880's or 1890's of the last century.
However, a custom with connections to May Birching occurs on the eve of local weddings. Sprigs of bloom would be left outside the bridegrooms house door, with hawthorn or similar complimentary plant being left outside the door of the bride to be. Rarely at this time would ruder symbols be left, unless there had been some type of scandal about the forthcoming marriage.
A distortion of these two separate customs seems to be found online on several American websites where it is claimed that the May Birchers were young men leaving symbols of their adoration at the doors or windows of the girl they liked. There is little evidence within British folklore & customs that this happened as a solitary occurance as frequently much of an entire village or localty was done. It is my opinion that this custom should be brought back with a more modern twist, my personal suggestions would be a brick by a door to indicate the person inside is a prick, perhaps a donkey to indicate arse (ass
) & perhaps a pair of little feathered great tits to indicate ... well you guess 
Sources include Christina Hole - British Folk Customs, Witchvox.
hey deebs? 
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