| May Day |
May Day has long been a time to welcome and celebrate the coming of Spring. Among the
Celtic population, and in other cultures, as well, in pre-Christian Europe, villagers met in the
woods to choose the tree that would become the Maypole. The tree was the tallest and
slimmest tree that could be found in the forest. It was carried into the village, as the
villagers paraded along with it. They would choose a May Queen and the Queen was crowned
with fresh Spring flowers. The villagers would cheer and fling flower petals into the air. The
Maypole was painted and decorated with ribbons, flowers and bright handkerchiefs. They
pushed and pulled until the Maypole stood proud and straight. Then it was time to dance
around the Maypole.
The earliest known name of the Celtic celebration was Beltane and, in the Germanic
countries, it was known as Walpurgis Night. As time went on, many pre-Christian
indigenous celebrations were eventually banned. This resulted in a more secular version of
the holiday, which would come to be known as May Day. Some new customs came into being
and some old ones were lost, however, dancing around the Maypole and crowning the Queen
of the May lasted well into the 20th century and, in many countries throughout the world,
these traditions continue to be the center of a May Day celebration.
One custom which has faded in popularity, but is still seen in some communities, is the
giving of May baskets---small baskets of flowers or sweets, usually left anonymously on
neighbors' doorsteps. I wasn't aware of this custom until I was grown and a neighbor placed a
small basket of flowers from her garden at my front door. I loved the idea and for many
years, as my son was growing up, we made baskets, filled them with real or paper flowers and
early in the morning on May 1st, delivered them, mostly to neighbors or seniors who were
members of The Shepherd Center in Lakeview, in New Orleans. To my son, the best part
was hanging the basket on the doorknob, pressing the doorbell and running before the door
opened. How many kids get to do that kind of thing with their parents' approval? (He was a
swift runner and never got caught---I'd wager there are still some folks wondering where
those baskets came from! :-)
Celtic population, and in other cultures, as well, in pre-Christian Europe, villagers met in the
woods to choose the tree that would become the Maypole. The tree was the tallest and
slimmest tree that could be found in the forest. It was carried into the village, as the
villagers paraded along with it. They would choose a May Queen and the Queen was crowned
with fresh Spring flowers. The villagers would cheer and fling flower petals into the air. The
Maypole was painted and decorated with ribbons, flowers and bright handkerchiefs. They
pushed and pulled until the Maypole stood proud and straight. Then it was time to dance
around the Maypole.
The earliest known name of the Celtic celebration was Beltane and, in the Germanic
countries, it was known as Walpurgis Night. As time went on, many pre-Christian
indigenous celebrations were eventually banned. This resulted in a more secular version of
the holiday, which would come to be known as May Day. Some new customs came into being
and some old ones were lost, however, dancing around the Maypole and crowning the Queen
of the May lasted well into the 20th century and, in many countries throughout the world,
these traditions continue to be the center of a May Day celebration.
One custom which has faded in popularity, but is still seen in some communities, is the
giving of May baskets---small baskets of flowers or sweets, usually left anonymously on
neighbors' doorsteps. I wasn't aware of this custom until I was grown and a neighbor placed a
small basket of flowers from her garden at my front door. I loved the idea and for many
years, as my son was growing up, we made baskets, filled them with real or paper flowers and
early in the morning on May 1st, delivered them, mostly to neighbors or seniors who were
members of The Shepherd Center in Lakeview, in New Orleans. To my son, the best part
was hanging the basket on the doorknob, pressing the doorbell and running before the door
opened. How many kids get to do that kind of thing with their parents' approval? (He was a
swift runner and never got caught---I'd wager there are still some folks wondering where
those baskets came from! :-)
| Depiction of a May Day celebration in England, 1700's. |
| Maypole in the village of Barwick-in-Elmet, England, 1800's. |
| 'Round the Maypole we will dance, Weave the ribbons tight; Then dance around the Maypole, To the left and to the right. |
| A-tisket, a-tasket, I made a May Day basket, I filled it up with flowers bright And hung it on the door just right. |
LINKS:
May Day: Wikipedia
May Day Traditions in England
May Day Traditions in Germany
May Day Traditions
Ideas for May Day
Crowning the May Queen, City Park,
New Orleans, 1863
Children's May Day Crafts
International Workers' Day: Wikipedia
How to make old-fashioned May Day baskets
How to make a cone-shaped May Day basket
How to make paper plate May Day baskets
May Day: Wikipedia
May Day Traditions in England
May Day Traditions in Germany
May Day Traditions
Ideas for May Day
Crowning the May Queen, City Park,
New Orleans, 1863
Children's May Day Crafts
International Workers' Day: Wikipedia
How to make old-fashioned May Day baskets
How to make a cone-shaped May Day basket
How to make paper plate May Day baskets
| Happy May Day, everyone...if you aren't inclined to dance around a Maypole, perhaps you might want to revive the custom of the flower basket and treat someone to a May Day surprise! Nancy |
