Happy May Day to all the forum members!
Did any of you used to make May Baskets and give them out to friends and neighbors? Does anyone still do that?
I remember that we used to use the green baskets that strawberries came in and use pipe cleaners for the handles and put candy and flowers in them. Then we'd put them on our neighbor's doorsteps, ring the bell, and run. The neighbors then chased us around trying to catch us and kiss us!
So, here is your virtual May Day Basket hanging on your virtual door!
Tobina, thank you so very much for that pretty May Basket. Yes, I well remember making maybaskets as you mentioned. Usually the flowers were iris or tulips as they were the only ones blooming at that time. What fun to knock on the door then run. (As if the neighbors didn't know who left the basket) but it was much fun. I think when the Soviet Union started celebrating May 1 as their something or other, our observance was cancelled so we wouldn't be celebrating anything on their day. Thanks for the memories also.
Thank you, Tobina! I LOVE "my" May Basket!
My sister and I used to make them.. Take them to my grandma's house.. and she would make a big ta-do about it when she would come to the door and look around and talk to herself real loud, ( like she didn't possibly know who brought it) My sister and I of course were hiding behind the bush giggling.. lol
Lord, how I love and miss my grandma..
Thanx Mom, I was just wonderin yesterday why nobody did May Day anymore but the pagans. Guess that explains it! I remember makin a may basket for grandma Edwards and grama Smith and dancin the maypole in school. I think we oughta bring May Day back!
My mother still gets giddy about making May baskets. I truly think it's her favorite holiday. She takes them to our grandparent's as well as our two aunts that live in town - AND her neighbors.
Our kids used to make May baskets and take them to the neighbors. We had several couples on the block that were elderly and they loved getting them as much as the kids liked making and delivering them.
Myrna
We used to have a big Mayday celebration at school. One year they planned a play that ended with winding the Maypole. Several mothers gathered at our house to sew fancy crepe paper costumes. We practised and practised, and were so excited about wearing those wonderful costumes. We looked like fairies and elves in those designs. Well, you guessed it-- we had a really typical Kansas spring day. The wind just blew and blew! It tore the costumes off every one of us, and trying to wind the Maypole was totally impossible! I felt badly for the mothers who had worked so hard; their work was gone in a flash! But we did go through the motions of winding that pole with invisible streamers.
We also made May baskets, some woven out of strips of construction paper, and glued together. This project took some time to complete. We also made some by rolling the construction paper into two cones and fastening them in the middle with a loop handle. This made a sturdy two compartment basket that would hang on a door handle easily. Memories, memories!
Sixdogsmom, Oh, my, the crepe paper dresses. Pam mentioned a couple posts back about doing the maypole. Think the last time she done that I made a lavender crepe paper dress and hat. All the dresses were pastel rainbow colors and winding the maypole they looked so pretty. That has been a few years. For that same Mayday program I made another daughter a crepe paper Hawaiian costume and the other daughter a yellow "duck" costume. Now if the kids have a music program, half of them just wear their bluejeans, shorts, some wear nice spring dresses, just whatever, and they just sing. Times do change, I guess.
Have they taken all the fun out of school? Those little programs gave the kids something to look forward to and to try to get their parents and other relatives to come see them. Gave us all a chance to see each other and to visit.
Tobina, I have been enjoying your May flowers ever since you put them on your profile. Wish mine would bloom like that. Maybe next year.
Oh yeah! I forgot to thank the lady who made this thread possible! Thanks Tobina for the wonderful reminder of days gone by! :D :D
Glad you enjoyed the May Day wishes! Yes, I can't believe how much my phlox bloomed this year! I'd never seen them bloom that much; just a couple purple flowers. Makes me want to dig them up and spread them all over the place!
The Phlox are pretty this year; in fact many things are really pretty this year. I think it may have to do with that late freeze we had last year. Anyway, we can enjoy, enjoy!!