13 Things I Love About the SCA

I am a part of the SCA, an educational not-for-profit organization that recreates the best parts of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The Society for Creative Anachronism is an international group, so chances are good there could be a group near you. The world is divided into Kingdoms, and each kingdom is divided into baronies and shires. I am a member of the Shire of Korsvag in the Kingdom of Northshield. There’s not much that I don’t like about it, but here are 13 things I love about it.

1. Playing dress up. I can wear a beautiful dress from the Italian Renaissance or Viking Age Scandinavia. I have more SCA garb than work clothes.
2. Being a Baroness of the Court. Is it small of me to enjoy wearing a silver and amethyst crown and having people call me “Your Excellency” ? It does wonders for a fragile ego.
3. Knights in Armor. Men in uniform are always hot. Sweaty too.
4. Knights out of Armor. Men out of uniform are hotter.
5. Watching fighting. This is possibly the greatest draw for non-SCAdians.
6. Making good friends. I know people from all over MN, WI, ND, SD, parts of Canada.
7. Learning the crafts of the Middle Ages like spinning, knitting, weaving.
8. Seeing other people’s pretty clothes and wonderful things they’ve made. It’s fun to see a 9th Century Viking warrior standing next to a 16th Century Englishwoman.
9. Learning court dances that are hundreds of years old.
10. Researching costume history. If my character is wearing an Elizabethan gown you can bet I’m pretty accurate in my descriptions, because I’ve sewn it and worn it.
11. Eating High Feast with five removes. Sometimes feasts last for hours. Removes (courses) are served with entertainment in between like singing or dancing or jugglers.
12. Chivalry, courtesy and grace. These are emphasized and held up as a standard in the SCA.
13. Bardic Circles. At night at camping events (and some non-camping events) bards gather around a fire and sing and tell stories, much as would have been done in period. I am not a singer but I am a story teller.

What hobbies do you have that take up a big chunk of your time and budget?