May Day has from ancient times been celebrated as a Spring Festival all over Europe. The air filled with bird song, swallows have returned to nest, bluebells and primroses are carpeting the woods, and every meadow testifies to the fact that 'When you can put your foot on nine daisies at once, spring has come'. The end of winter, the start of Spring is here...newly-sown seed was sprouting, new-born lambs in the fields, newly-hatched chicks in the farmyard, new leaves appearing on the trees and birds everywhere mating and nesting...time for humans to join in with the celebration of Spring's arrival. May Day, 1st May...but before the change in the calendar in 1752, May Day fell 11 days later. So to the woods the young men and women went to participate in the rites of the renewal of life. The went a-maying on May Day Eve into the woods and returned at dawn on May Day, carrying green boughs of branches freshly bursting into leaf, as tokens that they had identified themselves with the revival of nature that was happening all around them. Little girls went parading the streets with garlands of flowers, fastened to sticks, which theys showed passers-by, who were expected to put something in the collecting-bag. In some parts of Oxfordshire in England, the garlands took the form of crosses, and decorated with leaves, bluebells and cuckoo-flowers, they were carried by small boys... not girls. The making the garlands, was hard work, and the 30th April was set aside to make them, and this happened in all the schools. The May Queen, sometimes accompanied the children and there garlands of flowers, she was crowned with blossoming hawthorn. The crowing of the May queen was the climax of the May Day celebrations. In some villages in England, children used to parade not with garlands, but with dolls dressed in all the finery they could find, they were carried in a basket or framed in a hoop, that was filled or covered with flowers, offering the chance to view and give a coin or some sweets in return...some chanting this verse: In a few places in England, the dolls were carried around the streets on the 29th May, Oak Apple Day...and were called 'May babies', and these were carried in white boxes. The May Queen in the past, also shared the limelight with a May King, but he was lost along the way many many years ago. Other characters many years ago also involved with May Day celebrations, were the Jack o' the Green (Jack-in-the-Green), (a Chimney Sweep dressed up), they were covered almost entirely in greenery, and as trees, they symbolised spring itself. In some areas in England, this was also known as 'The Sweeps' Holiday. Jack-in-the-Green, also in some places became Jack-in-the-Bush, a pyramid shape of greenery, crowned with flowers. The Maypole, was once from a hawthorn tree, and in some areas also from a oak, birch or elm tree. Sometimes they were painted, often with spiralling stripes of bright colours, and some elaborately decorated. the ribbons of all colours are attached to the top, and hang down to the ground. When dancing round the Maypole, the participants hold onto the end of the ribbons (one a piece), weaving in and out around each other, until a beautiful pattern appears around the pole from the top to bottom. And I have also read that this represents the movement of energy between the Earth and Sky that causes the plants to grow in the Spring. The Maypoles, were known to be made to be taller than the church spires...and a famous maypole in the Strand in England, in 1661 stood at 134 feet high. Sometimes, the Maypoles stood till they rotted away, and sometimes removed and stored till the following year's celebrations. Morris dancers, dressed in white, white shirts and knee-breeches, decorated with lots of ribbons and small bells, with hats decorated with flowers. They carried white handkerchiefs adn sometimes wore clogs. The music that accompanied them in there dancing, was provided by a accordion or concertina, and sometimes whistle-pipes. They traditionally performed around the maypole, as well as village greens and in city streets and churchyards. In some areas in England, it was a custom for young people on May Day morning, to bathe their faces in May dew. In some areas it was regarded as of great value in curing neck ailments, as well as being of cosmetic value. And in other areas was thought to cure freckles. In a London Newspaper in 1791 it was reported that - "Yesterday, being the first of May, a number of persons went into the fields and bathed their faces with the dew on the grass, with the idea that it would render them beautiful." Sung to the tune of "The Mulberry Bush" Shout hurray for the flowers of May, Flowers of May, flowers of May. Shout hurray for the flowers of May, Pretty springtime flowers! Let's all play in the flowers of May, Flowers of May, flowers of May. Let's all play in the flowers of May, Pretty springtime flowers! ~By Jean Warren~ Sung to the tune "Three Blind Mice" May Day's here, May Day's here, Sun shines bright, sun shines bright. Birds and butterflies are in flight, Blooming flowers--such a sight! Everything feels just right. May Day's here! ~By Kristine Wagoner~ Sung to the tune "Ring a Ring of Roses" (Join hands with others and move in a circle.) Ring around the Maypole. Pocket full of roses. Ribbons, ribbons, We all fall down! (Drop to floor.) ~By Toni Lenhardt~ Sung to the tune "Did You Every See a Lassie?" Did you ever see a May basket, A May basket, a May basket? Did you ever see a May basket That looked so good? I worked for hours, Then filled it with flowers. Did you ever see a May basket That looked so good? ~By Jean Warren~ Sung to the tune "a Tisket, a Tasket" A- tisket, A- tasket I made a may basket I filled it up with flowers bright and hung it on the door just right A-tisket, A-tasket I made a may basket Flowers are a sign of spring And all the joy that it can bring. Here's to the day when it is May. And care as light as a feather, When your little shoes and my big boots Go tramping over the heather. ~Bliss Carman~ 'Twas as welcome to me as flowers in May. ~James Howell~ The maple puts her corals on in May. ~James Russell Lowell~ Then came fair May, the fairest maid on ground, Deck'd all with dainties of the season's pride, And throwing flowers out of her lap around. ~Edmund Spenser~ Hail, bounteous May, that doth inspire Mirth, and youth, and warm desire; Woods and groves are of thy dressing, Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing. ~John Milton~ When May, with cowslip-braided locks, Walks through the land in green attire. ~Bayard Taylor~ Make a 'May basket', fill a basket with flowers, and present it to a family member, neighbour or to someone in need. For friends and family far away, send a pressed flower card, a packets of flower seeds, artificial or dry flowers or maybe some pot pourri. For yourself, make a posy and wear in your hair. Wear your most colourful clothes or dress all in green. And remember to wash your face in the May Day morning dew, this will beautify your skin. Water seems to have special properties on May Day. A Mother Goose rhyme goes like this: The fair maid who, the first of May Goes to the fields at break of day And washes in dew from the hawthorn tree Will ever after handsome be. Other sources say use the dew found under oaks or on ivy leaves. And to make a wish as you wash your face in it or as you drink from a well before sunrise. MAYDAY ROUND THE WORLD On May 1st, people in Hawaii celebrate their own version of May Day.. they call it Lei Day. The give Hawaiian leis to each other. They put them around each other's necks and sometimes give a traditional kiss. In Germany, one tradition is for the boys to secretly plant a May tree in front of the window of the girl they love. In France, the cows are led in parades with many flowers attached to their tails. The people that are watching the parade, try to touch the cows, it is believed to be bring good luck. I have removed my guestbook for the moment, but do write to me via e-mail if you wish, would love to hear from you. How to send this page through Email: 1.Highlight and copy the URL from the location box in your browser. 2.Paste the URL into the body of your EMAIL message you wish to send. 3.The recipent can then simply click on the URL to receive their greetings. The URL of this page is... http://homepages.tesco.net/~derek.berger/holidays/mayday.html FastCounter by bCentral