The practice of a charivari (the mock serenade) has an interesting history. While neighbors parading through the streets banging pots and pans and making a racket might celebrate a happy occasion such as a wedding, a mock serenade might also be directed toward an unpopular person. The name of this processional varies depending on the area, and it’s sometimes spelled “shivaree” or “chivaree.” While we know that the current form of “charivari” developed in French, the word’s origins are unknown. Some lexicographers speculate that it came from the Greek word “karēbaría” (“headache”), coming from the idea that a mock serenade would leave onlookers’ heads throbbing.