May Day

In the UK May Day is not always May 1st, it is the first Monday of May. The version of this day is the latter one from the item's description as it actually a pagan celebration of life. I remember back at primary school we had to put up with dancing around the may pole, etc. - not great really, but it was always a sign that the good weather was on it's way. These days it's just nice to have a day off when you know there's a fair chance of some good weather.

In Canada it is a celebration related to the end of the first round of the NHL playoffs and celebrated with a case of Molson's beer and a frying pan full of back bacon smothered in maple syrup. There is then a beaver based ritual which tradition dictates can’t be transcribed except to say that it is usually terminated by a Mountie.

have heard different versions of what May day is. as a child i remember celebrating May Day in grammar school. not too much was mentioned about a kind of labor day. it had more to do with flowers and Spring. we would make paper mache flowers. and have a "may pole dance" where we held a ribbon from the pole and danced around it. we would have to take the created flowers home and give it to someone. Funny thing is I tried and described this May day stuff I did as a kid in grammar school and my daughter never heard of such a thing. guess this flower and May pole tradition is a thing of the past. oh well.

Some important suppressed American history for you...



UPDATE:

I doubt either Obamaphiles or Obamaphobes bothered to listen to the wisdom of Mr. Chomsky on this important, world-wide holiday, so I'll just note that he mentions the fact that liberal authoritarians are far more vicious and vindictive than their conservative brethern when members of the working class dare to challenge the status quo. This is probably due to the fact that the liberals feel betrayed when workers aren't grateful for the crumbs they toss us.

Happy May Day, everyone.

Let's have a drink and celebrate the start of spring!

In every other country, it's celebrated as international workers day in commemoration of the Haymarket massacer in this country in which several labor activists were put to death as scapegoats for an act of violence they didn't commit. We created "May Day" to distract Americans from thinking about this moment of history, or (gasp!) class politics.

Not the same without the Red Square parade. Oh well, the geezers can sit around the old folks home singing the Internationale,

Labor day in most countries.

It is a big thing in England but don't ask me why. I think the communists celebrate it to but for different reasons.

Pro-worker, historically relevent holiday still officially celebrated in many countries. Not merely for a holiday communists and anarchists but for all who believe in the rights and immense contributions of labor internationally.

Never even heard of it before coming to this site.

I really don't see its significance as a holiday, but it is my birthday. It doesn't promote a pagan conspiracy, either.

This is a holiday? What exactly are we supposed to celebrate about the first day of May?

I think this one has really gone by the wayside. Since my grandmother died, I never hear anyone even mention it anymore. She was born in 1889 and she used to tell us stories of how all the children used to make May Day baskets full of flowers and leave them anonymously on their neighbors porches. There were probably other traditions involved with the day, but this is the only one I can remember hearing in my family.