05/01/2026
๏ฟผblessed Beltane!!!
.
๐ On this day - 1st May ๐
๐ MAY DAY ๐
The History of May Day
๐ Today marks the first of May - traditionally known as May Day.
May Day is a celebration long associated with spring, renewal, and community festivities.
Choosing the May Queen, dancing around the maypole, musical processions, and traditional performances were among the highlights of the holiday.
Did you know these joyful traditions stretch back thousands of years?
๐ The earliest recorded May celebrations can be traced to Ancient Rome.
The Floralia, or Festival of Flora, was held between 28th April and 3rd May in honour of Flora - the goddess of flowers, fertility, and the coming of spring.
The festival featured lively athletic games, theatrical performances, and colourful celebrations to welcome the warmer season.
๐ In the Gaelic world, the arrival of summer pastures was marked by the festival of Beltane.
Homes were decorated with wild blossoms, and great bonfires were lit on the last night of April.
These fires were believed to offer protection and good fortune for livestock and the people who tended them.
In Wales, where the first day of May is known as Calan Mai or Calan Haf, many of these traditions have endured for centuries.
๐ From the medieval period, the first of May had become a lively day of feasting and dancing across towns and villages throughout the British Isles.
Chimney sweeps wearing gaudy clothes, would make mischief on the street and hustle for coins.
Milkmaids would dance for pennies, while balancing towers of borrowed silverware on their heads.
This was all part of the cheerful celebrations that brought communities together.
๐ For the Tudors, 'The Merry Month of May' signalled the welcome arrival of warmer weather - and the promise of a good harvest.
People from all walks of life, both wealthy and poor, would mark May Day with much merrymaking - with games, music, food, and shared festivities.
May Day was especially meaningful for working families, as labourers were often given the day off to join the celebrations.
๐ Like many other festivals, May Day was a topsy-turvy affair.
A โlord and ladyโ would be chosen from among the ordinary people of the community, to preside over the day.
Eventually the focus shifted completely onto the woman - and she became known as the May Queen.
๐ The May Queen reached the height of her importance in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods.
By this time, she was embodied by a pretty young girl decorously dressed in white, and crowned with flowers.
Accompanied by a โcourtโ of other girls, the May Queen became a symbol of purity, and the promise of spring.
๐ Like many seasonal festivals, May Day was also surrounded by charming folklore.
One popular belief held that collecting the early morning dew from May blossoms and gently applying it to the skin would help keep the complexion fresh and clear - a tradition that was repeated for generations.
๐ Perhaps the most familiar image of May Day is that of dancers weaving bright coloured ribbons around a tall maypole - creating intricate patterns as music plays.
This tradition, first recorded in 14th-century Wales, is still enjoyed in many communities today.
May Day remains a joyful reminder of renewal, community spirit, and the enduring traditions that connect us to the past. ๐ธ
Our Group
The Tudor Intruders (and more)
๐ Source - nationaltrust. org. uk/The history of May Day
John Chu
Senior National Curator, National Trust
๐ Queen Guinevere as Queen of the May.
By John Collier c1900
