Happy May Day! While not an overly prominent holiday in
America, it does have a long and notable history as one of the
world's principal festivals. The origin of the May Day as a day for celebration dates back
to the days, even before the birth of Christ. And like many ancient festivals
it too has a Pagan connection.
For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second
most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of
Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other
half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day
custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites
performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to
the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify
them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good
luck.
Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The
beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted
primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor
a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day
festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans
brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually
the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today's customs
on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.
May Day observance was discouraged during the Puritans.
Though, it was re-lived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn't have
the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy
and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient
fertility rights.
By the Middle Ages every English village
had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great
occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking. The Maypoles
were of all sizes. And one village would vie with another to show who could
produce the tallest Maypole. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small
towns, but in London and the larger towns they were erected permanently.
Roots of May Day celebration in
America:
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 the tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbons, survived as a part of the English tradition. The kids celebrating the day by moving back and forth around the pole with the the streamers, choosing of May queen, and hanging of May baskets on the doorknobs of folks -- are all the leftovers of the old European traditions.
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 the tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbons, survived as a part of the English tradition. The kids celebrating the day by moving back and forth around the pole with the the streamers, choosing of May queen, and hanging of May baskets on the doorknobs of folks -- are all the leftovers of the old European traditions.
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