My mother always told me it's important to celebrate the special days like small holidays, otherwise every day blends together and gets boring. Now that I'm married and have a family, I realize this more than ever. It is important to have silly little traditions that your kids can remember an pass down to their kids.
May Day is celebrated on May 1st every year. This year it will be on Tuesday. The reason I'm writing about it now is to give you time to read and prepare how you'd like to celebrate the special day. May Day has origins in Europe. Each country has their own set of traditions from passing on flowers, to dancing around in the grass, to lighting large (controlled) fires. Though everyone celebrates differently each country is basically celebrating the end of the long winter nights and celebrating the warm spring and summer days to come.
In the United States it is traditional to celebrate spring by filling small baskets with flowers and/or treats and leaving them on the doorsteps of all of your friends. The tradition is to ring the bell and run away before someone can catch you. If they catch you, you are supposed to give them a kiss. I would suggest that in this day and age you skip the kiss unless you are really good friends or family. The last thing I want is to suggest that you to sexually assault someone.
You can celebrate May Day any way you see fit. The point is to start a special tradition for your family. You can go on a picnic, blow bubbles outside, pick flowers, do an art project. Anything you decide celebrates spring you can use as your tradition. My family takes the more traditional route an leaves flowers for each other on our door steps.
Leaving a basket is a nice surprise for all of your friends and family. Not a lot of people celebrate May Day anymore, so it's a complete surprise when they open the door and there's a basket sitting there. It gives your friends a bright spot in their day. Who doesn't like a just because gift?
When I leave gifts, I like to leave something that can be planted in the yard. This way the gift lasts longer than just cut flowers and it doesn't seem as wasteful. It also seems like a good spring gift because the flower I give will usually be the first plant planted in a summer garden bed. I usually go to a hardware store or a nursery to pick out something native that is a flowering spring plant. Then to make it seem like a gift I'll find some decorative foil or tissue and a ribbon to make the plant seem like a gift not just a plant. If I'm feeling really creative I might also make and leave a little home made card. You can leave a plant, baked goods, cut flowers or just a basket or pail with a few little things tucked in it. You know your friends and the age group, pick something that they would enjoy receiving.
The point is to do something nice to celebrate spring, not to do a grand gesture. Anything that will make your friends smile or start a tradition will be perfect. Make an average day just a little more special. Have fun and celebrate May Day with your family!
May Day is celebrated on May 1st every year. This year it will be on Tuesday. The reason I'm writing about it now is to give you time to read and prepare how you'd like to celebrate the special day. May Day has origins in Europe. Each country has their own set of traditions from passing on flowers, to dancing around in the grass, to lighting large (controlled) fires. Though everyone celebrates differently each country is basically celebrating the end of the long winter nights and celebrating the warm spring and summer days to come.
In the United States it is traditional to celebrate spring by filling small baskets with flowers and/or treats and leaving them on the doorsteps of all of your friends. The tradition is to ring the bell and run away before someone can catch you. If they catch you, you are supposed to give them a kiss. I would suggest that in this day and age you skip the kiss unless you are really good friends or family. The last thing I want is to suggest that you to sexually assault someone.
You can celebrate May Day any way you see fit. The point is to start a special tradition for your family. You can go on a picnic, blow bubbles outside, pick flowers, do an art project. Anything you decide celebrates spring you can use as your tradition. My family takes the more traditional route an leaves flowers for each other on our door steps.
Leaving a basket is a nice surprise for all of your friends and family. Not a lot of people celebrate May Day anymore, so it's a complete surprise when they open the door and there's a basket sitting there. It gives your friends a bright spot in their day. Who doesn't like a just because gift?
When I leave gifts, I like to leave something that can be planted in the yard. This way the gift lasts longer than just cut flowers and it doesn't seem as wasteful. It also seems like a good spring gift because the flower I give will usually be the first plant planted in a summer garden bed. I usually go to a hardware store or a nursery to pick out something native that is a flowering spring plant. Then to make it seem like a gift I'll find some decorative foil or tissue and a ribbon to make the plant seem like a gift not just a plant. If I'm feeling really creative I might also make and leave a little home made card. You can leave a plant, baked goods, cut flowers or just a basket or pail with a few little things tucked in it. You know your friends and the age group, pick something that they would enjoy receiving.
The point is to do something nice to celebrate spring, not to do a grand gesture. Anything that will make your friends smile or start a tradition will be perfect. Make an average day just a little more special. Have fun and celebrate May Day with your family!
