Happy May Day!

My favorite holiday is May Day. I love the sweet unexpectedness of goodies. Usually May Day is a very elaborate affair around here. This year we have too many projects with our house and too much going on to give May Day it’s usual attention. To make matters worse Kansas experienced a very late frost and most of the flowers are gone. So we borrowed a fabulous idea from our friend Jenni.  We have also used this free printable May Day Basket for a simple and super cute way to bundle up a bouquet of flowers–when mother nature has been a little more cooperating!

Happy May Day

What is May Day?

May Day has been a traditional day of celebrations throughout the centuries, and in many countries.  In the early centuries it was often associated with towns and villages celebrating springtime fertility of the soil and livestock with community gatherings. Seeding had been completed by this date and it was convenient to give farm workers a day off.  Many versions of May Day, observed in Europe and North America, are best known for the traditions of maypole dancing and crowing the Queen of May.  In the United Kingdom, the spring bank holiday, on the first Monday in May, was created in 1978.  May Day itself – May 1 – is not a public holiday in England (unless it falls on a Monday) but it is still a holiday celebrated.  Since the late 20th century, many of the early traditions began to fade and turned to “May baskets,” or small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbors doorstep.  Thus giving way to the current traditions of “ding and dash” here in the United States.  I’ve learned that not all regions in the US celebrate this fun holiday.  So, if you live in a neighborhood that doesn’t deliver May Day baskets, I encourage you to start the fun!

May Day Crafts

We used plain brown drink holders from McDonald’s (Sonic has them too).

A little paint.

These could also be decorated with rubber stamps, stickers, crayons, markers, collage items, etc……….

We filled them with  garden flowers and candy hot glued to floral picks and a tag.

With these cute “baskets” all ready to go, we are ready to “ding” and “dash”—– My boys favorite part!  We carefully head up to our neighbors front door, place the basket in a spot that it won’t accidentally be knocked over by the opening of the front door, ring the doorbell and run!  Legend has it, that if you are caught–you could be kissed.  You can only imagine how fast that makes my boys run!  We haven’t been caught yet!  Here are  Ten of the cutest DIY May Day baskets.  I hope that you will love them, and I think that they will ghelp get  you excited for the fun holiday!