The History About May Day
May Day, an annual holiday taking place on May 1, has its roots in pagan fertility rites and festivals. But it has evolved quite a bit since those ancient, initial celebrations. Today, the holiday is still celebrated in a few Western countries with festival activities that can be traced back to old European May Day celebrations. Does this Spark an idea?
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Pagan Roots
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Fire was used as part of ancient pagan festivals since it was thought to strengthen the springtime sun. According to an articles on the Napa Valley Register website, which cites the Columbia Encyclopedia, "The May Day holiday and its celebration probably originated in the spring festivals of the goddesses of fertility of India and Egypt. The festival of the Roman goddess Flora was April 28, later April 28-May 3.'" According to the Holiday Spot website, when the Romans began to occupy the British Isles, they brought with them the Floralia, a five-day festival held in honor of Flora Floralia later was combined with the festival of Beltane, which the people of the British Isles long had celebrated. As part of the festival of Beltane, cattle were driven through fire as a method of purifying them, and couples walked through the fire's smoke in order to bring good luck. Ancient people thought that fire would strengthen the springtime sun.
Maypoles
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Maypoles are wooden poles decorated with streamers and flowers. By the time of the Middle Ages, the Maypole---which the Napa Valley Register website describes as a pole "decorated with flowers and streamers, the loose ends of which were held by dancers, who encircled the pole, weaving intricate patterns as they passed each other in the dance"---was common in many English towns. According to the Holiday Spot website, towns in England used to compete to erect the tallest Maypoles. The poles usually were left up for several days.
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Political Activity
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According to the Napa Valley Register website, in 1889 the Second Socialist International decided that May Day should be a holiday for "radical labor, and since that time it has been the occasion for demonstrations, parades and speeches among Socialists and Communists."
United Kingdom Bank Holiday
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According to the Telegraph website, May Day was designated a bank holiday in the United Kingdom by Michael Foot, the country's employment secretary, in 1978. His announcement met with opposition at the time; many people, taking note of the fact that many Communist countries celebrated International Workers' Day on May 1, thought of May Day as a Communist holiday.
Modern Celebrations
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Flower baskets are left on doorsteps as part of modern May Day celebrations. Today, May Day is still celebrated in parts of America and England. According to the Holiday Spot website, "The Puritans frowned on May Day, so the day has never been celebrated with as much enthusiasm in the United States as in Great Britain." But some public parks in America still display Maypoles around which children dance. Also, some churches, especially Catholic churches, still choose a young girl to be crowned the May Queen as part of a May Day celebration honoring the Virgin Mary. And some people leave flowers on the doorsteps or doorknobs of others on May 1. All these customs can be traced back to old European May Day traditions.
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References
- Photo Credit Daisy may image by Kenneth Hill from Fotolia.com sun image by Bube from Fotolia.com Maibaum image by DieMinou from Fotolia.com sugar-rose flowers in a basket image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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I recal a May Day Parade as a child growing up in the Bronx, I was only three! It must have been related to me by my parents. I surely couldn't remember at that age. Can't even remember yesterday at my present age! lol lol Have a super May Day! Dance around the May Pole with flowers. PS: Is that where pole dancing got it's start? lol
