WRITE UNDER THE MOON
Happy May Day
Springtime Memories
May is upon us and for those who live in higher elevations. Spring has at last arrived.
I’m certain May Day traditions are many from far and wide. I want to share what I remember from a book that belonged to my grandmother. It was called How to Book of Cubbing and I remember it was copyright dated in the early 1900’s.
Cubbing, for Cub Scouts, as my grandmother was a scoutmaster. There were all kinds of songs, skills, and traditions tucked in between the warped cover of that old book. As well as some age-old traditions that included ideas for crafting projects.
From those thin pages, I learned that in small country neighborhoods. May Day was sometimes celebrated in the spirit of a surprise anonymous gift of flowers. Placed on the doorknob or doorstep at sunrise. In an effort to surprise the inhabitants at the start of the new month, on the first day of May.
I remember the story included that in high northern areas where flowers were not yet in bloom by the first of May. It was then that people would get creative. Crafting flowers out of paper. With decorated cardboard baskets. Those were the most convenient for the door knob May Day gift givers. That is, as I remember reading long ago. The book no longer resides on my shelf.
