Posted on 05/01/2025 6:41:55 AM PDT by Red Badger
MAY DAY
May Day ushers in a traditional celebration of flowers and spring. In many ancient calendars, May 1 welcomed the first day of summer, which was truly a cause for celebration.
#MAYDAY
May Day has been a traditional day of celebration for centuries, with some of the earliest appearing in pre-Christian times. One of the more popular rituals was harvesting flowers and giving them to neighbors and strangers in cone-shaped baskets. These May Baskets become more commonly known as May Day Baskets. The current tradition is observed by hanging a cone-shaped basket full of flowers or other gifts on the outside doorknob, then knocking or ringing the doorbell and running away.
What Are A Few May Day Celebrations from Around the World?
In English tradition, the observance is celebrated by crowning a May Queen and dancing around a maypole.
The Finnish recognize a carnival-type celebration in the streets that includes a special type of lemonade made with lemons, brown sugar, and yeast.
In France, it is correct to give people either dogwood or lily of the valley while Italians celebrate with a seasonal feast in honor of the arrival of spring.
7 WAYS TO CELEBREATE #MayDay
While there are several ways to celebrate the day, don't limit yourself to just one. We recommend choosing several of these spring options to celebrate throughout the day.
Dance! Either dance around a May Pole or just dance with someone near to you.
Plant flowers. Make a point of planting wildflowers and you will attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Make a flower crown. When you've finished, wear it or put it on the queen in your life.
Fill a basket with flowers. Then, deliver it to your neighbor, ring the bell, and run!
You can also deliver flower bulbs that your friends and neighbors can plant in their yards.
Make a May Basket. Downloadthis design from our Classroom section to make and fill it with flowers to share.
Share your May Day creations and dance moves on social media using #MayDay.
BRIEF HISTORY OF MAY DAY
May Day has ancient roots dating back to Celtic traditions. The spring equinox beckoned the coming of warmer days and called for celebrations filled with rituals that ensured fertile crops and livestock. Many of the practices included dances, songs, flowers, and other traditions lost to time.
********************************************************
Notable Birthdays for May 1 Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820) - Women's rights advocate who was one of the first women to support the idea of equal rights between sexes.
Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764-1820) - Architect who designed the U.S. Capitol.
Calamity Jane (1852-1903) - American frontierswoman and regular in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show.
Cecilia Beaux (1855-1942) - Artist and first woman to teach art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Anna Jarvis (1864-1948) - Founder of Mother's Day.
Heinz Roemheld (1901-1985) - Composer who wrote Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Kate Smith (1907-1986) - Singer considered the First Lady of Radio.
J. Allen Hynek (1910-1986) - Astronomer known for his studies of UFO's.
Jack Paar (1918-2004) - Comedian and second host of The Tonight Show.
Joseph Heller (1923-1999) - Author who wrote the novel Catch-22.
Art Fleming (1924-1995) - The first host of Jeopardy! game show.
Evelyn Boyd Granville (1924-2023) - The second Black woman to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics in the U.S.
Mabel Smith (1924-1972) - Singer also known as "Big Maybelle."
Marion Walter Jacobs (1930-1969) - Expert harmonica player.
Max Robinson (1939-1988) - The first Black network anchor in the U.S.
Paul Teutul, Sr. (1949-Still Living) - Founder of Orange County Choppers.
Sally Mann (1951-Still Living) - Photographer best known for her large black and white photos.
Tim McGraw (1967-Still Living) - Country singer of the hit song It's Your Love and Live Like You Were Dying.
Memorable Events for May 1 1704 - The first newspaper advertisement is ran in the Boston Newsletter.
1863 - The first orthopedic hospital (Hospital for the Ruptured and Crippled) opens in NY City.
1866 -The American Equal Rights Association forms.
1867 - Black voter registration begins in the South.
1873 - The first U.S. post card is issued.
1883 - Bob Rogers becomes the first recognized pro-sports trainer in the U.S.
1884 - Catcher Moses Walker is acknowledged as the Black American to play major league baseball.
1901 - The first Pan-American Exposition opens in Buffalo, NY.
1912 - The iconic Beverly Hills Hotel opens in Beverly Hills, CA.
1930 - The planet "Pluto" is officially named by an 11 year old girl (Venetia Burney).
1939 - Batman makes his first appearance in Detective Comics #27.
1941 - General Mills introduces CheeriOats, which is later renamed Cheerios.
1943 - The U.S. implements food rationing in an effort to support the war effort.
1947 - The use of radar is demonstrated for the first time to monitor commercial and private planes.
1956 - Jonas Salk's polio vaccine is released to the public.
1963 - James Whittaker becomes the first American to climb Mount Everest.
The Thaelmann Batallion--Ernst Busch (1938)
Moscow-Peking--The All-Union Radio Orchestra & Chorus (1950)
The Song of the [Socialist Unity] Party--Ernst Busch with the Berlin Opera Company(1950)
Stalin, Friend & Comrade--Ernst Busch (1958)
The Stars Over Moscow (aka I Praised My Homeland)--Leonid Kostritsa (1954)
Song of the United Armies--sine nomine (1958)
You can add ; Oh, Canada!...............
Date?....................
I don’t swing that way but I’ll ask my sister for you.
Mayday 1971.
Ohhh the May-hem
Thank you, no wonder I don’t remember, I was in High School..................
The 60s (and early 70s) were so extremely violent and deadly in many areas of American life, from political, to youthful drugs and suicide, to white working class bars (at least in Texas).
I had hair back then.............and was skinny as a bean pole......................
May day Malone
[To Diane in court]
Sam: To me, our relationship makes perfect sense. You want me to propose to you, I propose to you. You say no, I say fine, I never wanna see you again. You drive me nuts telling me you want me to propose again, I do, you turn me down. Next thing I know I’m in a court of law where I’ve got to propose to you or go to jail. It’s the classic American love story.
When the moon comes over the Rainbow, was one of the first songs I heard her sing
HAPPY KARL MARX IS ROASTING IM THE PIT OF HELL DAY!
May Day was a big deal my grade school in the 50s. Each class would work up some sort of entertainment families would be invited and the big finish was a May Pole Dance.
“Horray….Horray! First of May! Outdoor necking starts today!”
In memory of what I saw on the “Wall” at the University of Wisconsin, Madison on May first of 1966.
Before the campus went Communist.
“It’s what communists do. They ruin everything they touch!..............”
So do Democrats!
We had celebrations in 3rd and 4th grade in the 90s, never had any again
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.