MAY BASKETS
Beltane, or May Day is the fertility festival marking the beginning of
summer. In the past, people often decorated their neighbor's doorsteps with
fresh flowers (hence the tradition of May Day Baskets), enjoyed picnics with
their families, and danced around a maypole to insure fertility for the coming
year. This represents the Goddess in ascendancy as the Mother, and the death of
the God after the conception of the Divine Child.
I haven't received a May basket in years. Usually we would hear a knock at the
front door and found no one there. Of course no one was there, but a little
hand-made May Basket would be sitting by the door or nearby and we could still
hear a child's footsteps as they ran away. Classmate Marsha called to say we can
still send May Baskets to those special in our lives.
On May Day (May 1st) my brothers, my mother and I would get our supplies
together to make May Baskets. This usually consisted of construction paper glued
into a cup shape, or when we were really in the money, cupcake holders. We would
then attach a handle either of more construction paper or pipe cleaners. Usually
we then glued a paper doily to the bottom or made one out of construction paper
and lots of glue. We then put penny candy (especially jelly beans) inside and
mom would come up with a few flowers she grew to put inside. We then delivered
the baskets, putting them on the steps near the door and yelled "May Basket!"
and ran. An especially nice one was usually reserved for our teacher.
