Celebrate May Day

May Day has a special significance in a number of cultures. Especially in Europe, the traditions followed are reminiscent of fertility festivals of the ancient Germanic and Roman civilizations. Non-European cultures may have customs that are similar. For your next May Day celebration, try some of these suggestions.

Steps

Adding a Maypole to Your Backyard

  1. Erect a maypole or "May tree". This is usually either a young tree or a very high pole with a wreath of greens hung from the top, encircling it. Typically, long pieces of colored ribbon are attached to the top. A group of people will each grasp a piece of ribbon and dance in a circle around it, interweaving the ribbons to form a pattern around the pole. In the case of a May tree, the branches are decorated with colored ribbon.
    • Find a long pole or piece of wood/branch, around 10 feet or 3 meters tall.
    • Attach ribbons at the top using a staple gun, hammer and nails or similar. One ribbon per dancer is adequate although a spare few can be helpful if you expect extra people to turn up. The ribbons should be about three quarters the length of the pole, long enough for the dancers to grab hold of but not so long they're tripping over them (and keep the height of any children in mind). You can decorate the top of the pole if you like (to cover up the nails or staples) but it's not essential.
    • Fresh flowers can be woven around the ribbons at the top for a spring feel.
    • Dig a hole deep enough in the ground to hold the pole without swaying. Secure it in place with dirt infill. Get some help with this part, as it's hard work digging a hole and holding the pole in place while infilling with dirt.
    • Invite your friends over. Teach them how to dance around the maypole. There's no need to seek perfection, it takes quite a while to get it right––just have a lot of fun trying.
    • If you're really into the May Day celebrations, crown a May Queen as well. Traditionally, the lucky lady gets to sit in a chair (throne) decorated with fresh flowers and doesn't have to participate in the dancing or games. Prepare a fresh floral crown for her head if you're crowning a May Queen.
  2. Try looking up some different maypole dances such as barbers pole, spiders web or Jacob's ladder. Feel free to contact The Heage Windmillers on Facebook or Twitter with any maypole dancing queries.

Warming Up By a Bonfire

  1. Make a bonfire. In the Germanic cultures, bonfires were made for May Day and herds of cattle driven between them to rid them from evil spirits and protect them from harm. Fires are still burned on May eve, the night between April 30 and May 1, today.
    • Naturally, don't start bonfires without first knowing that it's okay according to local regulations. And be sure to properly account for the weather conditions, to avoid the potential for out-of-control burning.

Trying Other Dancing

Maypole dancing is only one possibility. Here are some other ideas:

  1. "Dance into the May". In Germany, for example, it is common to hold a dance on the night of April 30 that lasts past midnight. This is known as "Tanz in den Mai".
  2. Go out dancing. Choose wherever you most like going out to dance and treat this as an excuse for a special "May 1st" dance celebration.
  3. Look for a group giving a display of Morris dancing. This is a traditional English dance often seen for May Day celebrations. If you're lucky, they might even give lessons for the day!
  4. Morris dancing largely consists of six different varieties.
    • Cotswold Morris uses either stick or handkerchiefs accompanying hand movements.
    • North West Morris has a military style shown by the precise movements.
    • Border morris is a more vigorous (and occasionally more dangerous) style of morris using sticks. Dancer often have blackened faces and rag coats for this style of dance.
    • Longsword dancing uses long rigid lengths of wood. It is often performed by older men at a slow pace though groups such as The Demon Barbers have challenged this stereotype.
    • Rapper sword dancing originated in the pubs surrounding the English mines after the working day ended. The swords (used to scrape soot from mine ponies backs) would be held by each handle joining five men in a circle. The idea was to jump or somersault over, move under and twist between the swords whilst being extremely drunk. The tradition continues in the form of DERT, the national competition which travels around the country.
    • Molly dancing was performed when work was scarce in an effort to receive payment for the spectacle.

Enjoying May Day Food and Drink

  1. Make "May punch". A traditional drink to consume on May eve is May punch, a punch made using fresh strawberries (which are in season), white wine, soda water or lemonade (to taste) and woodruff (since real woodruff is said to have carcinogenic qualities, many people prefer to use artificial aroma for this part). Pour the wine over the herb. It is not added to the punch bowl.
    • Of course you can make the punch without alcohol, if you prefer. In that case, white grape juice can be substituted for the wine.
  2. Make a May Day picnic. For a May Day picnic, rely on the seasonally available fruits and vegetables to make the most of their fresh taste. In the northern hemisphere, strawberries, blueberries, plums, broccoli and snow peas are just some of the delightful produce you can turn into salads, dishes and desserts.

Celebrating May Day with Flowers

Flowers are a big part of May Day celebrations, given their connotation with spring and renewal. May Day presents a great opportunity to indulge in your love of flowers.

  1. Use May Day as a prompt to brighten up your garden. Visit your local garden center and buy a few punnets or containers of your favorite flowers, already in bloom. This will cheer up the garden immediately and give you a sense that spring is full of promise.
  2. Bring flowers into the house. Pick your favorite flowers from the garden or purchase some locally grown ones from the florist. Arrange them in vases inside your house and perhaps also at your workplace, to share the spring cheer.
    • If you're in the southern hemisphere, bring in autumnal flowers and color-changing leaves.
  3. Make beautiful floral arrangements or floral crowns. If you love crafting things, turn your cut flowers into elaborate floral arrangements or weave them into Make a Carnation Lei or crowns for wearing on May Day.
  4. Hang baskets of fresh flowers on the doorknobs of your neighbors' houses. Baskets of flowers were often given out in older May Day celebrations and could also include a small gift.[1] However, this must be done without being seen––if caught, your neighbor can apparently claim a kiss!

Trying a Little May Magic

  1. Attempt divination. May eve is said to be a time when the spirit world and the physical world are close together. Folk divination methods can be done for fun in the evening, for example peeling an apple with a knife, so that the peel stays in one piece. Then cut the apple in half and eat half of it with your back to a mirror. Throw the other half over your left shoulder and quickly turn to face the mirror. It is said to then reveal your future partners face looking over your shoulder.
    • Alternatively, you can go out at dusk and gather nine flowers (each of a different type). Tie them up with a string and place them under your pillow. It is believed to reveal your future mate in your dreams.
  2. Make a wreath of daisies. Wearing the wreath on your head past midnight on May eve can attract good luck and keep away mischievous fairies.

Tips

  • Of course, none of these actions are truly necessary to celebrate "correctly". If you prefer to just be outdoors and have a picnic with seasonal foods, that is just as appropriate and enjoyable. Just do what feels special to you.
  • Consider sowing some summer vegetables around May Day. It's another excuse to get out and enjoy your garden or start a balcony garden!
  • In some parts of England, people would wash their faces in the early morning dew, hopeful of keeping younger-looking skin for the upcoming year! If a woman washes her face in the morning dew, it is said that she will become very beautiful. "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." ~ Mother Goose. It is also said that if a man washes his hands in the morning dew, he will become more skillful.

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.mnn.com/family/family-activities/blogs/celebrating-may-day

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