May Day
Primary Modernland – Exculvaganza 2016
Mei 13, 2016端午节的来历和习俗
Mei 13, 2016
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures.
Dances, singing, and cake are usually part of the celebrations that the day includes.
The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian European cultures. While February 1 was the first day of spring, May 1 was the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on June 25 (now June 21) was Midsummer.
As Europe became Christianised, the pagan holidays lost their religious character and May Day changed into a popular secular celebration.
The secular versions of May Day, observed in Europe and America, may be best known for their traditions of dancing around the maypole and crowning the Queen of May. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of “May baskets,” small baskets of sweets or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps.
