It's May, It's May, the Lusty Month of May!!!

It’s MAY!!!

First, let’s talk about MAY DAY!!

May Day is a public holiday usually celebrated on 1 May. It is an ancient festival of Spring and a current traditional spring holiday in many European cultures. Dances, singing, and cake are usually part of the festivities

The best-known modern May Day traditions, observed both in Europe and North America, include dancing around the maypole and crowning the Queen of May. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the tradition of giving "May baskets," small baskets of sweets or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbor’s doorsteps.

May Baskets

As a child, I gave May Baskets (with my sister - and of course, with my Mother’s help).  We made little baskets out of construction paper (or took old baskets our mother would let us have and that “somehow” came back to the house for the next May Day!!  (Did our neighbors somehow give them back to my mother?)

We picked flowers (probably not many flowers that we were allowed to pick - violets were nicer, but dandelions, and other flowering weeds) and put them into our baskets.  

From NPR’s archives we have this information:

“Through the 19th and 20th centuries, May Basket Day celebrations took place all across the nation:

“A reporter in the Sterling, Ill., Gazette in 1871 explained the seasonal ritual this way: "A May-basket is — well, I hardly know how to describe it; but 'tis something to be hung on a door. Made of paper generally, it contains almost anything, by way of small presents you have in mind to put in it, together with your respects, best wishes — love, perhaps. It is hung after dark at the door of anybody the hanger fancies. — Which done, the said hanger knocks and scampers."
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We put the baskets on the front porch, rang the doorbell and ran and hid - probably behind a tree.  We wanted to see the people as they opened their doors and found our baskets.  Most times the person would look around the yard and loudly ask “I wonder where this came from” (even though they could probably see us - or guessed it was us).  “Probably some wonderful children gave me a May Basket” (and we would giggle)!!

We didn’t do many, just to our favorite neighbors.  Elva Lacy got one, as did Mary Buxton, and Gilberta Kruger.  (And, as kids, we didn’t put a May Basket on our neighbor to the north - Reuben.  Reuben was single, of a Russian background and his house was dark with a lot of trees.  I don’t think we thought he was evil, but just a little spooky for us kids!!!

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May Day - is also celebrated as International Labor Day.  I remember as a kid seeing the May Day parades from Russia, where long lines of tanks and marching soldiers paraded before the Kremlin.  As a young child, I was scared as it looked like the Russians were ready to attack us.
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There were Maypole weaving (I didn’t ever do this, but know it was done).  A flag pole or similar (but without a flag on it), had long streamers hanging from it, and children wove in-and-out braiding the streamers into the pole.  There would be festive music.

My Catholic friends - in Catholic Schools would have a “May Crowning” of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It would be a lucky girl who was picked that year to put a flowery crown and place it on the head of a statue of Mary.  I asked my friend (AP) about this and she commented that at her school, they didn’t do a May Crowning, but formed a chain around a statue of Mary and said a Rosary. 
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But, my brain for the past few days as I’ve been getting ready for this blog is full of the song “The Lusty Month of May” sung by Queen Guinevere.

Tra la, it's May, the lusty month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

It's May, it's May, that gorgeous holiday
When every maiden prays that her lad will be a cad
It's mad, it's gay, a libelous display
Those dreary vows that everyone takes - Everyone breaks - Everyone makes divine mistakes

The lusty month of May”
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I have four baskets ready for my three neighbors (Bonnie, Kathy, and Marie) and for my friend Anne.  I will just leave it on their door and not ring the doorbell and run.

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May you have a “gorgeous holiday” (or a “lusty month of May”)!!!  Put some fun into your life, and put some love into your hearts and your neighbor’s hearts too!!!

Do you have some memories of May Day?  (I’m betting LMG does!!!)

Hugs!!!
Karen

(And, I didn’t even mention that yelling “Mayday, mayday” is an international distress signal!!!)