Evening star., 1935-04-30
Vanished Ceremonies
Of May Day Have Left
Memories of Romance
Children of Today Might Well Be Made Ac.
quainted With Some of the Old
Traditions and Customs.

restore to our children some Of the
old traditions and customs, they will
perhaps, be able to keep In their lives
the little aura Of sentiment and
beauty that makes "the leaven In our
lump"
The origin of the May day celebra-
ton threatens to become obscured by
the mists of modern times. It's real
significance lay In being generally re-
garded as time of intense gladness-
of Joy in the earth's annual new out
break into fresh life and beauty. For
this reason 1t was celebrated, and
pagans rendered homage to the first
flowers and blossoms of the season.
Later the Romans adopted the idea
with their "Floralia" or floral games
which took place from April % to
May 8, and honored the goddess OF
flowers, lovely Flora.
X \
IN ENGLAND. in the Middle Ages
i even the court and all persons of
low and high degree went out at dawn
on the 1st of May to gather fresh
flowers. which were brought home
triumphantly, with music and song
The hawthorn branch, being one OF
the most reliable to flower at that time
of year, was officially given the name
of 1.-THE May" and thus the ceremony
took the title of bringing home the
May" and the expedition to the woods
was known as going a-Maying."
Houses were decorated with the floral
spoils, the fairest maid in the village
was chosen as queen Of the May"
(probably a throwback to the ancient
Romans worship of Floral, and after
she was crowned the entire populace
spent the rest of the day dancing
about her and singing.
Later, nearly every English village
had its Maypole, gaily wreathed in
flowers and ribbons, about which all
the grown-ups as well as the children
danced in circles. With the coming
of the Puritans. and their campaign
to take all the joy out of everything,
the Maypoles were ordered uprooted
and destroyed. After the Restoration
they again came into favor-but the
cider people left the ceremonies more
and more to the children, until grad
ually the day became one primarily
to amuse the very young.
lust where the custom Of May
- baskets originated is difficult to
find out. In small towns and villages
in this country it was at one time ex-
ceedingly popular and faithfully OBJ
7 ni1iSo
M. Alcott's Jack and JILL you will
recall the account of the filling of the
May baskets by the boys and girls and
the amount of sentiment. real affec-
ton and childish thought that went
into the performance.
suppose, nowadays, that II the
floral observance of May day should
again come into vogue, the florists
would have another field day, because
we can't personally 60 "a-Maying" at
dawn. to find our own flowers. But
for the children, . few inexpensive
blooms would suffice. and with little
basket, and a lot of interest and in
genuity. pretty token of friendship
and affection could be contrived for
some particular love. The idea Is,
of course, to hang the basket on the
door handle, ring the bell and run
the gift is usually anonymous.
It's rather silly. simple little thing
to do, but I still maintain that what
We need in our lives is a little more
Stiffness and simplicity to keep us
from turning into mechanical robots!
If you wish advice on any Of your
individual household problems, write
to Betsy Caswell in care of The Star,
inclosing stamped self-addressed en-
velope for reply.