The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-01

Although many of the old customs
ccntering around the celebration of tn,
1st of May have been relegated to tho
scrap basket of the past, there yet re
main observances which render the day
notable among the festivals of the year
In va oldcn time May day was looked
forward to with keener delights anc
antlclpations than any other festival
not even Christmas excepted, because ii
was n time given over solely TO pure
enjoyment, unmiXcd by any religion:
restraints or under any ban of &C
cesiastical discipline whatever, AL
ranks and classes joined In the uni
versal amusement, social barriers wcrc
broken down, and the peasant met on q
common ground and exchanged greet
lugs with the king.
May day celebrations were but n con.
tinuation Of the old pagan Feast of
Flowers, which from n time imme
mortal was the principal festival with
the people of the east As soon as ma
ture had painted the landscapes in
her fairest colors and dressed forest and
field in their richest garbs, tho nncients
went out aud collected their votive
offerings to their especial gods. They
culled the fairest flowers. brought them
to a central point, and placed them on
the altars of their worship.
Feast of Flowers.
Il
that the May pole originated, for 1t was
n custom of the ancients TO select n
tree. around which they placed their
floral gifts We can trace this pagan
precedent in the worship. of the Druid
priests. The Druids always erected
their altars of sacrifice beneath an oak
tree, hence their appellation from the
Greek word drus, an oak.
The Romans instituted games In honor
of the goddess Flora. These were held
at time corresponding TO our present
LIST of May, and in the center Of the
grounds where the games were held was
always erected great pole, which the
flowers,
SO the May day md May pole of
later time had their origin in these
customs Of the ancient world. The
course of time created variations IN the
celebrations, but the foundation of the
festival is the same which had IFS be
ginning in the pagan ceremonial of the
Feast of Flowers.
From the earliest recorded history the
day had its observance in England. The
Picts and Scots of the time of Caesar,
though merely savagcs, painting and
staining their bodies with wood and the
Juice of plants, gathered flowers. which
they wove into garlands, and with these
adorned themselves and danced around
.hc poles and bontires,
Regularly Established Custom.
When the dawn Of civilization sent
its beams into the darkened corners, the
advent of the beautiful season which
opened its doors TO the summer fairy
land of nature was always heralded
with a gathering of flowers, dnncing
and rejoicing Thus the practices and
customs came down successfully with
the Romans. .Iutes. Saxons, Danes and
Normans. until in the time of the Con
queror. the 1st of May came TO be
a regularly established festival, which
the whole kingdom celebrated with
pomp and ceremonial.
An old chronicle says: "The citi-
zens of London, of all estates, In every
parish, or sometimes two and three
parishes together, had their several
Mayings. and did fetch May poles with
divers war-like shews, with good arch
ers. dancers and other devices for