# May Day traditions



## Broccolicious

Hi All

Although some countries have a day's holiday today, here in the UK we have been working hard. But we're still celebrating May Day!

This morning (and every May Day morning since I can remember) I washed my face in the May dew. My grandmother used to tell me that it would keep me beautiful for the whole year. I've never found anyone who has heard of this tradition, and I'm wondering if my grandmother invented it! Has anyone heard of it?

Elsewhere in England, girls will have danced around maypoles, hobby horses will have terrified children... what else has been happening around the world?


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## anothersmith

We have no May Day traditions here.


Edit:  An article on CNN.com just reminded me of something.  For the last three years, in major U.S. cities, May Day has been marked by demonstrations protesting U.S. immigration policy.  It's not exactly a _tradition_, but it is something May 1st is becoming known for here.


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## EmilyD

Rhode Island is pretty far from California, but we definitely observe the custom of May Day demonstrations.

Rhode Island has a special ritual of "May Breakfasts" which are fairly apolitical or polypolitical(?).  These take place on weekends during the month.  People gather at schools, clubs, churches, homes for collective Breakfasts.  Some times these are potluck.  Sometimes these are fundraisers (there is an admission charged).  Usually the food is eclectic and wonderful, and it has a thanksgiving/celebratory sentiment.

Forgive me, please,  if I've strayed too far from the topic.  May Breakfasts are not limited to the first Saturday or Sunday in May.  I never saw them in nearby Massachusetts or Connecticut.

I saw a photo in a local newspaper of a May Breakfast at a Protestant(?) Church in 1905.

Spring greetings to all,
Fondly,  Nomi


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## wildan1

I haven't experienced any typical May 1 traditions of any kind in the U.S. Of course, it is a work day here and we honor workers on a different date--the first Monday in September, which we call _Labor Day_. It isn't observed with great fervor by labor unions any longer, but it marks the long weekend that is the end of our summer season. Lots of baseball, barbecuing, picnics, last trips to the beach before getting ready for "back to school" (although in many places school now begins in late August).


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## anothersmith

Our May holiday is the last Monday in May, which is called "Memorial Day."  It marks the beginning of our summer season, in the same way that "Labor Day" (which Wildan1 described) marks the end of the season.


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## lizzeymac

Again, in another part of America - 
There was a simple, low key May Day celebration in Central Park  (Manhattan) and in Prospect Park (Brooklyn) for children, though from what I saw the adults were having just as much fun.  I think there are also celebrations of some sort in the other major parks in NYC but I haven't been to them. 
Here in Central Park there were May Poles and classes on how to make chains of flowers, a local children's theater company dressed up in medieval-ish costumes from various countries - jesters, tumblers, musicians, etc. - and strolled around giving little shows about the various May Day traditions, showing the kids how to play hand drums and finger cymbals and simple flutes.  
When I was growing up lots of schools had some sort of May Day celebration ranging from decorating your classroom all the way to putting on a little fair and inviting the parents.  According to my neighbor, his kids school still decorates for May Day and there will be a small fair after classes.


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## wildan1

lizzeymac said:


> Again, in another part of America -
> There was a simple, low key May Day celebration in Central Park (Manhattan) and in Prospect Park (Brooklyn) for children, though from what I saw the adults were having just as much fun. I think there are also celebrations of some sort in the other major parks in NYC but I haven't been to them.
> Here in Central Park there were May Poles and classes on how to make chains of flowers, a local children's theater company dressed up in medieval-ish costumes from various countries - jesters, tumblers, musicians, etc. - and strolled around giving little shows about the various May Day traditions, showing the kids how to play hand drums and finger cymbals and simple flutes.


 
But those are copies of English traditions--not really authentic American celebrations outside of an elite circle in the US, I think...


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## lizzeymac

wildan1 said:


> But those are copies of English traditions--not really authentic American celebrations outside of an elite circle in the US, I think...



Celebrating the Spring as a general concept is not an exclusively English tradition.  
I feel I am pointing out the obvious, but the root of many if not most traditions now thought of as American were brought here from somewhere else.  Excepting people of the First Nations, we and our traditions all came from somewhere else.
Many of our ancestors came from England, Scotland, Ireland, and so brought the traditions, customs, language, etc.  Considering that where I live is about 30 miles from the edge of New England proper, it's not too surprising that there are some remnants of English customs, even if they have only been revived for fun.  I suppose I could have talked about the Shad Festival - the shad run usually happens around the first of May and in my grandparent's town in Massachusetts they celebrated them together, on the weekend nearest to May 1 - May Poles and shad roe.  
I took Broccolicious' question to be a general inquiry rather than an anthropological study, so I told you all what happened this year here in NYC where I live, and what I remember from growing up. 
What did you mean by 'elite' ? - it's not specific, but it sounds pretty critical, even judgmental.


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## wildan1

I have heard about the shad roe tradition this time of year--it is common all along the US mid-Atlantic coast. 

(Sorry if you took my comment on replicating the English May traditions in Central and Prospect Parks as an offense, lizzey. By elite I just meant they are done by a very few, mostly privileged people who adopted them as adults rather than a large number of people who had them handed down over time (my interpretation of "tradition.")


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## Broccolicious

The shad run sounds intriguing - what happens?


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## avok

I think there is a misunderstanding here.

In Turkey and many other countries, "May 1" is "International Workers' Day / Labour Day" celebrated mainly by workers' trade unions and left wing supporters.

Unfortunately, this year, the Government (of course, a right wing government) did not allow people to celebrate this day by street rallies / demonstrations in Istanbul!


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## lizzeymac

avok said:


> I think there is a misunderstanding here.
> 
> In Turkey and many other countries, "May 1" is "International Workers' Day / Labour Day" celebrated mainly by workers' trade unions and left wing supporters.
> 
> Unfortunately, this year, the Government (of course, a right wing government) did not allow people to celebrate this day by street rallies / demonstrations in Istanbul!



Sorry for the misunderstanding -  I think of 'May Day' as the one with ribbon dances, my error.

There was an International Workers Day rally in Union Square in Greenwich Village- a National Historic Site,  the first American Labor Day was celebrated there on September 5 1882, the national holiday was proclaimed in 1884.  Union Square is the site for many human rights and political rallies  There also were smaller Workers Rights rallies in nearby towns and in New Jersey. 

I was in the theater district that afternoon and saw people who belong to the theatrical unions wearing jackets and sweatshirt and baseball caps with their union logos - this is not an uncommon sight but I think there were more far more than the usual number of people wearing their union gear.

This year, as in the past several years, the rally addressed the issues of immigration as well as workers rights. Activists gave speeches, local politicians gave speeches, there were a few musical performances, lots of banners and signs.  Immigrants rights leaders say many people are afraid of attending rallys because they are afraid to put themselves on the radar - to be observed or recorded on video, and tracked down and deported.  I'm not sure this is particularly likely in NYC but in other regions, smaller cities or towns, I could see that this might be a cause for concern.
There were other human rights organizations participating in the rally as well, aligned with various causes here and in other countries.


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## Montesacro

Well, in Italy the first day of May is of course _la festa dei lavoratori_ (Workers’ day).


Two roman traditions related to _il primo Maggio_ come to my mind:

- A big concert, attended by hundreds of thousands of people and organised by the three most important Labour Unions, is held in _Piazza San Giovanni_;
- We eat huge quantities of _fave e pecorino_ (broad beans and cheese made from ewe’s milk). _Che spettacolo!_


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## cuchuflete

If it's not raining too hard, or even snowing, we go to Damariscotta Mills to watch the
Alewives run.  Very much a local tradition. 1 May is a highly variable date for such merriment.  

Look


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## ewie

Broccolicious said:


> My grandmother used to tell me that it would keep me beautiful for the whole year. I've never found anyone who has heard of this tradition, and I'm wondering if my grandmother invented it! Has anyone heard of it?


No, _never_, and I suspect that was just your granny trying to guarantee that you wash at least _once_ a year, Broc.


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## Broccolicious

ewie said:


> No, _never_, and I suspect that was just your granny trying to guarantee that you wash at least _once_ a year, Broc.


 
The cheek! I wonder why she encouraged me to find dew on the busiest road in town...

HA! Quoted on www.ancientsites.com (although the original source isn't noted there)

'_Amongst the ancient customs of this festival which survives to this day, is that young women will wash their face in the dew of Beltaine morning to preserve their beauty. May dew was indeed considered to be holy water. People who were sprinkled with May dew were assured of health.'_

It seems my Celtic roots are showing!


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## Topsie

In France people buy sprigs of lily of the valley and give them to friends and family for good luck!


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## Broccolicious

cuchuflete said:


> If it's not raining too hard, or even snowing, we go to Damariscotta Mills to watch the
> Alewives run. Very much a local tradition. 1 May is a highly variable date for such merriment.
> 
> Look


 
Wow - I was imagining a herd of ladies in petticoats chasing after their errant husbands, but that picture is much more impressive! Thanks!


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## ireney

Well, apart from the  International Workers Day which has become sort of a tradition  ,  on the first day of May Greeks, according to the custom, make a wreath out of flowers to celebrate spring. This wreath is supposed to remain hanged till the 24th of June. On that day we celebrate the memory of Saint John the Harvester and we build bonfires in which we burn the wreaths. Young men and women (others too) jump over the flames so we are talking about relatively _small_ bonfires .


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## ewie

Broccolicious said:


> Wow - I was imagining a herd of ladies in petticoats chasing after their errant husbands, but that picture is much more impressive! Thanks!


Yes, I was imagining something similar ... an exaltation of Broccos women all heading for the pub at the same time, actually.


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## Einstein

When I was at primary school in GB we danced round the maypole on May 1. This was an age-old "pagan" tradition.

When I was older I discovered it was also a worker's commemoration. I remember that in London there was always a march in the afternoon. May the first was not a public holiday and the tradition was to strike in order to take part. It became a public holiday in the 1970s under the Wilson government, but then Margaret Thatcher, to depoliticise it, moved it to the nearest Monday, so that 1 May is no longer a holiday.

It's interesting that although May Day arose from demonstrations of solidarity in Europe because of the Chicago Haymarket events in 1886, in the USA it is not celebrated. But I'm pleased to note from *lizzeymac*'s post that the September Labor Day dates back to another workers' rally.


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## Noel Acevedo

Hi Broccolicious:

In Puerto Rico the tradition is to get wet during the first shower of May, that will make you beautiful.  With the exception of an extremely brief 17 day period from April to May 1797, we were never under English control, so the similarities between both customs are interesting to say the least.

Noel


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## Mr Punch

Wonder where the tradition of it being Labour Day comes from. Our Italian friend says it's held there, and I always assumed the British tradition to come from Mop Fairs, the first of which were held in May. This started as a Summer help (itinerant workers') hiring fair. I wonder if that came from the Romans itself?

I think it's great that there's that celebration in Central Park, New York. I wouldn't see it as anything to do with elite, just a nice way of remembering roots and learning some new (old) culture that seems fairly common world over (REAL globalization!?).

And in Puerto Rico you have the May shower... I wonder... Did you have it before the British got there?


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## Broccolicious

Mr Punch said:


> I always assumed the British tradition to come from Mop Fairs, the first of which were held in May. This started as a Summer help (itinerant workers') hiring fair. I wonder if that came from the Romans itself?


 
How interesting - I didn't know that. And I'd never even heard of a 'Mop Fair' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mop_Fair) - I wonder when it moved from Michaelmas to May. And what an interesting blend of pagan and practical rituals!

When I lived in Cornwall, I worked with the High Priest of the local witches' coven (he was also a janitor - I'm not making this up), who said that every May Day he would find a local virgin and 'fertilise' her by pouring a handful of seeds into her hands.


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## Noel Acevedo

Einstein said:


> When I was at primary school in GB we danced round the maypole on May 1. This was an age-old "pagan" tradition.
> 
> When I was older I discovered it was also a worker's commemoration. I remember that in London there was always a march in the afternoon. May the first was not a public holiday and the tradition was to strike in order to take part. It became a public holiday in the 1970s under the Wilson government, but then Margaret Thatcher, to depoliticise it, moved it to the nearest Monday, so that 1 May is no longer a holiday.
> 
> It's interesting that although May Day arose from demonstrations of solidarity in Europe because of the Chicago Haymarket events in 1886, in the USA it is not celebrated. But I'm pleased to note from *lizzeymac*'s post that the September Labor Day dates back to another workers' rally.






Hi Einstein:

About that September Labor Day in the US, I read that if you check the Congressional Record on the law that declared the first Monday of September as Labor day, the reasoning was because it fell half way between the Fourth of July and Christmas; so much for recognizing workers sacrifices. Anyway, you have the flip side of the coin.  My two cents!

Noel


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## Mr Punch

Broccolicious said:


> How interesting - I didn't know that. And I'd never even heard of a 'Mop Fair' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mop_Fair) - I wonder when it moved from Michaelmas to May. And what an interesting blend of pagan and practical rituals!


Ahahhh, I did bit more anecdotal research on this. 

I didn't realize that Mop Fairs were so uncommon now: I grew up near one as a kid in Kings Norton, Birmingham, so I just assumed that they were universal still. Also the Mop proper was in October, but the same fair group would have others through the summer, starting around Mayday, which I assumed meant the Mop was a Mayday tradition. Where there may well have been fairs traditionally held on Mayday, I have nothing other than anecdotal evidence (and fairly scant at that) that there was a Mop Fair as such around that time.

Although... I was pretty sure the history was explained to me that there was also a hiring fair at the beginning of summer.

So, it's quite probable that I was getting my wires crossed, or it was a local custom. Since I'm drawing a bit of a blank on the net, I'll have to ask my parents to check out the local archives, museums etc.



> When I lived in Cornwall, I worked with the High Priest of the local witches' coven (he was also a janitor - I'm not making this up), who said that every May Day he would find a local virgin and 'fertilise' her by pouring a handful of seeds into her hands.


I actually met some neo-pagans who practised some fertility rituals that were a lot more unsanitary than that on Mayday, but since this is a family board I'm not going to go into detail!  I've also no idea of the historical pedigree of their custom so I don't know if its relevant here.


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## alinapopi

In Romania and Spain we celebrate Work's day / workers' day: a lot of people on the streets, etc. But the most important is that they can go on hollidays for 2 or 3 days.


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