Thursday, May 1, 2014

May Day

Today is May 1, or May Day. Last year on May Day my friend Sienna was over visiting and she and my mom (who both grew up in Rochester, MN) were telling me about their May Day memories. Apparently it was tradition to leave little May baskets full of candy or flowers on people's doorknobs/doorsteps and then ring the person's doorbell and run home as quickly as you could because if you got caught the person got to to kiss you. My friend said that when she left home and went to college no one else celebrated May Day which she found odd because she thought it was something everyone did.

Ironically, Sienna came over to visit today, too, so I made sure to give her a little May basket full of chocolate since she's said before how May Day is one of her favorite holidays. My mom, Sienna and I were talking about May Day traditions again and how you really don't hear about people celebrating May Day anymore.

I know I'd never heard of this May Day tradition before last year. What about everyone else?

6 comments:

Kim said...

I grew up outside of Phoenix, Arizona. We never did this. I first heard of it as an adult a few years ago when I read it on a blog

Souther said...

use to celebrate as a young girl in the manner you described. I just heard we no longer celebrate because it is the day of Russia's independence. I do not know if this is accurate though.

Anonymous said...

I grew up in NJ and have never heard of this before, but it sounds cute!

Mimi's Blog said...

Hi Heather, I recently discovered your blog and love to read about your thoughts. You are a great writer with many insights. I lived in Hawaii during high school. May Day ( is lei day) in Hawaii is an important holiday. There was an assembly with royalty chosen to preside over the events. Everyone made and wore flower leis to school. Traditional dances native to the islands were performed as well as a special feast. Whenever I think of May Day, I think of Hawaii.

Anonymous said...

My middle school classmates and I wrapped a May pole through a choreographed dance, I was so neat!

Amy said...

We celebrated May Day in a similar way. My mom would cut flowers from our yard and me & my two sisters would gather them up in little bunches in our little hands and "doorbell ditch" them on our neighbors porches. I'm sure they were wilty and squished by the time they got them, but we sure loved that tradition!! :)

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