Spring is a fun time filled with brilliant colors, blooming flowers, and warmer weather. Around the world, many cultures celebrate the return of spring with festivals and holidays that you can incorporate into your roster of spring activities. One fun, lively spring celebration is May Day. If you’re interested in starting a May Day tradition with your family, read on. We’ll fill you in on the holiday’s history and fun ways to celebrate with your kids.
Where Did May Day Come From?
May Day is an imported holiday that came to the US through European settlers. Although it’s not widely celebrated here in the states, several countries across Europe participate in some form of the holiday. Most historians believe that May Day is a combination of a Celtic spring holiday and the week-long Roman festival of Floralia. People celebrate the holiday on May 1st every year.
Decorating for May Day
The first step to celebrating May Day is decorating. There are three parts of traditional May Day decorations. The first is gathering all of your decorating supplies. Instead of purchasing decorations for May Day, venture out into nature to find flowers and greenery to craft your décor. You can let your little ones can pick wildflowers, and clip a few green branches to make decorations with. Next, decorate your front door with a garland made from your fresh clippings. Finally, invite your neighbors to join in the festivities by making a May basket and leaving it on their porch.
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May Day Activities
Now that you’ve decorated for May Day, it’s time to have some May Day fun. Start by making a flower crown for you and your little one to wear as you celebrate. Then, get close to nature by taking a barefoot walk across your lawn or the lush grass of a safe park. Next, make a maypole! You can use this guide to craft a DIY maypole in no time. Once you’ve built your maypole, have fun braiding the ribbons around the pole in a traditional maypole dance. At the end of the day, you and your family can light a bonfire and spend the rest of the evening outside enjoying the breeze and making s’mores.
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