No my plane is not crashing, neither literally nor metaphorically thanks to the support of friends and a fun & ridiculous late night conversation with my sister. One of the things we discussed is my 3rd favorite holiday after President's Day and Arbor Day. Kidding, the top 2 are actually Christmas and Thanksgiving. President's day is a quasi-favorite as it means a day off on or around my birthday, but when it falls on my birthday it means no mail which is no fun. Anyway the holiday coming in at number 3 for me is May Day which falls on May 1 every year. It's the most delightful & whimsical holiday that most people have never heard of. Sad fact. If you have heard of May Day, please let me know. If you have not, do not fear I am about to explain it to you. :)
The specific origins of May Day seem to be untraceable, but my research seems to indicate that it dates back to a Roman festival of Spring. As many of our holidays and traditions find their roots in Ancient Rome & due to my liking of things Ancient Roman, I tend to ascribe to this theory. Sidenote: I was looking for tickets today for the Getty Villa which has been open for over a year but I have not been able to go as weekends book up well in advance and sadly the first Saturday available is the day I will be flying to Houston/driving to Omaha, which I am greatly looking forward to it's just frustrating that happens to be the only viable day open right now. Oh well I will remember to check back in a couple of weeks when the June schedule is open and hopefully get tickets for when I come back. Side sidenote (kind of like PPS I suppose): my family will be home together for a week this summer. My sister & b-i-l and their 3 children will be driving up. As it is cheaper for me to fly to Houston and as I dig roadtrips even & especially with small children (not joking), I am flying in and they are picking me up from the airport on their way out of town. It will be a ridiculously long day of travel for me but it shall be fun (assuming of course that Jared decides that being in the car isn't actually the worst thing in the world & that crying/screaming for the whole trip is unnecessary, but it is hard to reason such things with a 6 month old).
I digress May Day probably comes from the Romans and probably spread throughout Europe as the empire spread. From what I understand it is a national holiday for most of Europe as during the original Roman festival (which lasted more than a day) slaves were allowed freedom so long as they returned to their masters by sundown, which has evolved into Europe's Labor Day. It is not a national holiday in the U.S. as we already have Labor Day in September. Labor Day is great and all, but far less fun than the May Day traditions I hold dear. The other side of May Day is the celebration of the coming of summer and the beginning of the planting season. It is also a day of dancing (you have probably heard about dancing around Maypoles) and a day for love but has thankfully not been co-opted by greeting card manufacturers and confectioners. The tradition I grew up with is that you would make May Day baskets which often simply meant styrofoam cups or baskets fashioned out of construction paper, fill them with popcorn and jelly beans, and take them to your friends' houses. You set the basket on their doorstep, ring the doorbell and runaway & hide and your friends are supposed to chase after you & try to find you. Originally a May Day basket would have had flowers and possibly other sweets and would have been left of the doorstep of a sweetheart or a crush, generally the guy would give the basket to the girl, and if he was caught then he had to kiss her. Though in my estimation this should only motivate one to run slowly and hide poorly. ;)
For the past 2 years Nicole & I have made May Day baskets consisting of popcorn, jellybeans, cookies & various other candy for our friends. And it's fun despite the fact that we've only pulled off one successful surprise due to friends not being home or being out front of their places at the time. But this year it'd really make my day if someone brought us May Day baskets. Ideally I'd like to have a May Day party, but I think that will have to wait til 2009 when May Day will be on a Friday (haha yes I've already thought that far ahead, you're all invited). Because while I would attend a midweek May Day party, I don't really think people who've never heard of it and/or do not regard it as highly as I do would be so inclined.
Anyway, I hope in some form this giant mass of rambling has managed to explain the holiday somewhat. One other important thing I should say is that this is the one holiday for which I will give a notable exception for proposals. I think it would be such a cute way to be proposed to. Other minor holidays are exempt from the do not propose on a holiday rule, but this is the only one I feel merits specific mention.
May 1st is next Tuesday. Here's hoping you add a new (or rejuvenate an old) holiday tradition this year! :)
The specific origins of May Day seem to be untraceable, but my research seems to indicate that it dates back to a Roman festival of Spring. As many of our holidays and traditions find their roots in Ancient Rome & due to my liking of things Ancient Roman, I tend to ascribe to this theory. Sidenote: I was looking for tickets today for the Getty Villa which has been open for over a year but I have not been able to go as weekends book up well in advance and sadly the first Saturday available is the day I will be flying to Houston/driving to Omaha, which I am greatly looking forward to it's just frustrating that happens to be the only viable day open right now. Oh well I will remember to check back in a couple of weeks when the June schedule is open and hopefully get tickets for when I come back. Side sidenote (kind of like PPS I suppose): my family will be home together for a week this summer. My sister & b-i-l and their 3 children will be driving up. As it is cheaper for me to fly to Houston and as I dig roadtrips even & especially with small children (not joking), I am flying in and they are picking me up from the airport on their way out of town. It will be a ridiculously long day of travel for me but it shall be fun (assuming of course that Jared decides that being in the car isn't actually the worst thing in the world & that crying/screaming for the whole trip is unnecessary, but it is hard to reason such things with a 6 month old).
I digress May Day probably comes from the Romans and probably spread throughout Europe as the empire spread. From what I understand it is a national holiday for most of Europe as during the original Roman festival (which lasted more than a day) slaves were allowed freedom so long as they returned to their masters by sundown, which has evolved into Europe's Labor Day. It is not a national holiday in the U.S. as we already have Labor Day in September. Labor Day is great and all, but far less fun than the May Day traditions I hold dear. The other side of May Day is the celebration of the coming of summer and the beginning of the planting season. It is also a day of dancing (you have probably heard about dancing around Maypoles) and a day for love but has thankfully not been co-opted by greeting card manufacturers and confectioners. The tradition I grew up with is that you would make May Day baskets which often simply meant styrofoam cups or baskets fashioned out of construction paper, fill them with popcorn and jelly beans, and take them to your friends' houses. You set the basket on their doorstep, ring the doorbell and runaway & hide and your friends are supposed to chase after you & try to find you. Originally a May Day basket would have had flowers and possibly other sweets and would have been left of the doorstep of a sweetheart or a crush, generally the guy would give the basket to the girl, and if he was caught then he had to kiss her. Though in my estimation this should only motivate one to run slowly and hide poorly. ;)
For the past 2 years Nicole & I have made May Day baskets consisting of popcorn, jellybeans, cookies & various other candy for our friends. And it's fun despite the fact that we've only pulled off one successful surprise due to friends not being home or being out front of their places at the time. But this year it'd really make my day if someone brought us May Day baskets. Ideally I'd like to have a May Day party, but I think that will have to wait til 2009 when May Day will be on a Friday (haha yes I've already thought that far ahead, you're all invited). Because while I would attend a midweek May Day party, I don't really think people who've never heard of it and/or do not regard it as highly as I do would be so inclined.
Anyway, I hope in some form this giant mass of rambling has managed to explain the holiday somewhat. One other important thing I should say is that this is the one holiday for which I will give a notable exception for proposals. I think it would be such a cute way to be proposed to. Other minor holidays are exempt from the do not propose on a holiday rule, but this is the only one I feel merits specific mention.
May 1st is next Tuesday. Here's hoping you add a new (or rejuvenate an old) holiday tradition this year! :)
Comments
I did however realize that there is a flaw with our Arbor Day party plans - the last Friday in April falls dangerously close to May Day. But then I decided that during years when it's possible to have May Day shindigs we'll just dial down the Arbor Day festivities.
Wanted to send some photos of the villa your way. http://flickr.com/photos/mrkleane/sets/72157594385032900/show/
Im at work, so I cant leave a commant as long as I would like. Anyway, talk to you soon.
Jessica, it seems most midwestern people know what May Day is. Sadly the rest of the country seems to be missing out. Can't wait to see you! And Addison. :)
Keith, thank you for sharing those pictures. It looks as amazing as I thought it would be. I greatly look forward to going there, hopefully soon.