May Day Question???

Every year on May 1st me and my Mom would go for a walk and pick wild flower to leave on the door steps of friends and family with a note saying Happy May Day!

I said something to my daughter-in-law about it and she looked at me as if I were crazy.

Did no one else do this or even hear of it?

If you have do you know the story behind this tradition or is it simply the "April showers bring May flowers" thing?

May Day Question???
I had forgotten all about that but I use to do that with my grandma as a child.



The May-pole is up,

Now give me the cup;

I'll drink to the garlands around it;

But first unto those

Whose hands did compose

The glory of flowers that crown'd it.

~Robert Herrick, The Maypole, 1660~

CHEERS!!! HAPPY SUMMER
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Reply:We actually used to make baskets out of construction paper and make flowers out of pipe cleaners and tissue paper for May Day in elementary school when I was a kid. I always really liked that because then we were supposed to leave them on somebody's door without leaving a signed note. I thought that was really neat and had a lot of fun deciding who would get my basket.

I don't know where the "basket" tradition comes from, but it does make sense as the first of May in most cultures is associated with the beginning of spring. The mystery about who left the basket might have been something my teachers came up with, but that was something we did every year.... I don't know.
Reply:in wiccan and some pagan traditions, may day is also known as beltane, the feast of the coronation of the sun king/god.



flowers start blooming right around beltane and baby animals are born...



the night of beltane was the one night of the year when couples forgot their wedding vows and had relations with whomever they wished to celebrate for the sun king/god.



the tradition of the may pole and crowns of flowers also comes from the pagan tradition. =)



i've never heard of your tradition, but it sounds really neat!!!
Reply:This was a common tradition that is slowly starting to come back. The common name for it is 'ding-dong-ditch.' You gather flowers, stones or little trinkets in a basket and leave it on your neighbors' doorstep. ring the bell then run. it's supposed to be an anonymous, kind thing to do.



Interestingly: May Day (Beltane) is exactly opposite in the year of Halloween (Samhain), where we collect candy at peoples' doors. it's the give and take balance of the year.
Reply:Yes, I have heard of it :) MY grandmother use to do something similar leaving baskets of goodies and flowers on friends and family's doorsteps...she became known as the ''phantom''....which was her cb handle for years,when I was a little girl,this was one of my favorite story's from her.



Actually the tradition....comes from the olden days, of the old religion being Beltane,....which is also known as the great rite ceremony....some other traditions involving may day is the maypole, when children would decorate the pole with ribbons and dance around the maypole during the day...usually a feast was made and the people would gather.



Have a blessed beltane {mayday] :)
Reply:I did, abd everyone that I did it to got good luck for a year. One of them got pregnant and she was infertile.... See, april showers bing may flowers and the flowers bring good luck!
Reply:It's a tradition I'm familiar with- I did it as a child, and now since I'm pagan I finally understand its significance ^_^
Reply:I dont' know but it sounds great.

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