May Day Celebrations Were Not So Strange – but Huge Spectacles
Not to be confused with International Workers’ Day, the Victorian May Day celebration marked the middle of spring and was celebrated with a fair, parade, dances, and many floral decorations. Many folklore customs have their roots planted firmly back in the Dark Ages when the ancient Celts had divided their year by four major festivals. Beltane or ‘the fire of Bel’, had particular significance to the Celts as it represented the first day of summer and was celebrated with bonfires to welcome in the new season. Still celebrated today, we perhaps know Beltane better as May 1st, or May Day.
The first day of May often saw people rising early to go into the country to pick flowers with which to decorate the town, weave into garlands and wreaths, and make bouquets to fill May baskets. These baskets were secretly delivered to friends’ and neighbors’ doorsteps. It was a day to stop and enjoy the sunshine, flowers, gift-giving, dressing up, and participation in music, dancing, feasting, and games. Down through the centuries May Day has been associated with fun, revelry and perhaps most important of all, fertility. The Day would be marked with village folk cavorting round the maypole, the selection of the May Queen and the dancing figure of the Jack-in-the-Green at the head of the procession. Although not very popular in the United States, many countries still celebrate the first day of May through some or all of these Victorian traditions.