Today is May Day — it occurs annually on May 1!!
May Day celebrates the return of spring and the day has its own traditions like flower baskets and maypoles and I hope you remembered to wash your face in the dew this morning for good luck.
Shepherdstown is one of the few places in the United States that still celebrate May Day. This year, Shepherdstown celebrated on April 29 with a celebration of the coming of summer with revelry to wake up the Earth from its winter slumber and induce it to fertility by singing, dancing, waving ribbons, clashing sticks, carrying wands or garlands of green and the ringing of bells. Many of Shepherdstown’s activities originated from traditional British customs. The maypole, as always, was set up on the McMurray lawn just after the sun rose.
In case you’re interested, here’s a bit of the history of May Day. The day has its roots in astronomy. Traditionally, it was the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. In ancient times, this was one of the Celtic cross-quarter days, which marked the midway points between the (four) solstices and equinoxes of the year.
As with many early holidays, May Day was related to agriculture. Springtime activities filled with song and dance celebrated the sown fields starting to sprout. Cattle were driven to pasture, special bonfires were lit, and doors of houses — and livestock — were decorated with yellow May flowers. In the Middle Ages, the Gaelic people celebrated the festival of Beltane. Beltane means “Day of Fire.” People created large bonfires and danced at night to celebrate.
May Day has a long history and tradition in England, some of which eventually came to America. Children would dance around the maypole, holding onto colorful ribbons. People would “bring in the May” by gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral hoops and hair garlands, and crowning a May king and queen.
As I mentioned, Shepherdstown alway has a maypole — originally, the maypole was a living tree chosen from the woods with much merrymaking. Ancient Celts danced around the tree, praying for the fertility of their crops and all living things. For younger people, there was the possibility of courtship. If a young woman and man paired by sundown, their courtship continued so that the couple could get to know each other and, possibly, marry 6 weeks later on June’s Midsummer Day. This is how the “June wedding” became a tradition.
In the Middle Ages, all villages had maypoles. Towns would compete to see who had the tallest or best maypole. Over time, this Old English festival incorporated dance performances, plays, and literature, and people would crown a “May Queen” for the day’s festivities.
The strict Puritans of New England considered the celebrations of May Day to be licentious and pagan, so they forbade its observance, and the springtime holiday never became an important part of American culture as it was in many European countries.
I should probably mention that the term “Mayday!” is not related to the “May Day” spring festival — it comes from the French phrase “M’aidez!,” which means “Help me!” If you hear “Mayday!” repeated three times, it is an urgent distress call. To signal that you need help but are not in a life-threatening situation, repeat the phrase “Pan-pan!” three times when calling for assistance.
So goodbye April — Happy May Day!
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