Friend:

      Bundling was done in my family during the wintertime before we moved
off the farm and had houses with central heating.  In older days, when a
swain came a courting a maiden whose family lived in a house that had only
fireplace or stove radiant heating (the cook stove in the kitchen, and the
pot bellied stove in the parlor--on special occasions), and they were engaged
and were permitted to hold hands, look at each other moonily, and just keep
company of the social conversation variety--and the in-house temperatures
away from the heat source were at or just above freezing, the couple, fully
clothed and with overcoats, mittens, etc, climbed into a bed and pulled up
the heavy covers to keep warm while they were conversing and romanticizing,
in the presence or near presence of a chaperone.  They were bundled up
individually and bundled together, just to keep warm.  Obviously nothing more
than hand holding could occur, and if they were wearing mittens, even that
was not close contact.  In certain households, particularly in New England,
there was a wood bar affixed to the bed, headboard to footboard, after it was
made, which divided the bed into two halves--he and she sides.  Courting was
accommodated, but bundling kept the parties from engaging in any hanky panky.

John Scott Davenport
Holmdel, NJ