What Is May Day?

May Day is celebrated on the first day of the month of May. Traditionally, it is the time when people look forward to the coming of summer and the warmer weather.

In times gone by, it was the only day in the year that farmers had off from work!

Today, there is a May Day bank holiday on the first Monday in May each year.

May Day Traditions

They would make garlands from hoops and twist flowers around the edges.

There are a number of traditional May Day activities which have been passed down through generations. In the past, people would get up very early in the morning on May Day, and go out to gather flowers to decorate their homes. They believed it would bring them good fortune for the rest of the year.

Dancing Around the Maypole Maypole dancing is the traditional May Day dance. It is in celebration of the good weather and to allow the planting of crops to begin.

Girls and boys dance around the maypole, threading coloured ribbons around it until it is beautifully braided. They have to be very careful not to bump into anyone!

ATTRIBUTION - Photo courtesy of Jesslla (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

Morris Dancing Another May Day tradition is Morris dancing. This was usually carried out by men, who wore white shirts and a coloured ‘baldric’ – a belt across their chests. Nowadays, men and women both take part in Morris dancing.

The dance is very lively and there is usually an accordion or fiddle player accompanying the dancers. The dancers wave white handkerchiefs and tap short sticks in time to the music while they are dancing.

ATTRIBUTION - Photo courtesy of Muffinn (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

The May Queen

ATTRIBUTION - Photo courtesy of Clare O Hagan (via Wikimedia.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

Each year, a girl from the village was chosen to be the May Queen. She would sit on a decorated throne on the village green or would walk at the front of a May Day parade. Then she was crowned with a garland of flowers.

How Would You Celebrate May Day?

May Day is still celebrated in many villages, but it is mainly a day that people look forward to because it is a National Bank Holiday. Therefore, most people have the day off work.

What is your favourite May Day tradition?