From the time my daughter was small up until about 7th grade, we made May baskets every May Day for our friends' and neighbors' doors.
We would make paper cones and decorate them with little artworks and glitter and hang them with ribbon. We filled them with flowers from our yard (well, mostly :-) and candy and little good fortunes such as you would find in a fortune cookie.
Then we would hang them on our neighbors' doorknobs or gates and ring the doorbells and run.
The last time we made May baskets was when my daughter was in 6th grade; she put one on the gate of our neighbor, Mr. Pierce. Mr. Pierce was an antique; he always wore a suit - even to take a walk. She put the May basket on his gate and he apparently saw her because he showed up at our door and asked if we did it. He said it made him happy and reminded him of his childhood.
I totally whiffed May Day this year and my daughter was too busy (although she had planned to make May baskets) but she did reminisce about how we used to do it and how much fun it was. So, if you have kids, it's a cute, memorable thing to do going forward. I'll try to remind you next year.
9 comments:
That is such an incredibly sweet and generous gesture. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Such a tender thought. I love it.
I'm going to do this.
ooops...btw...Thank You, Gorgeous.
I've never heard of such a thing, but I loved your story!
Wish you were my neighbor.
Thanks for your story. I had completely forgotten about this tradition until I read it (can you believe it?). We used to make May baskets too (grew up in the midwest in the early 70s). Part of the excitement was that if you were caught leaving the basket at someone's door, they got to kiss you. Did you do that?
I remember doing this when I ran a store on Main Street in Annapolis. They encouraged all of the businesses to do it.
If that isn't the cutest darm thing. In reminds of of two traditions from my childhood...
Every May Day the little private school I attended from 1st-5th put on show for all of our Grandparents. The fifth graders got to perform the May Pole and we all practiced every year until it was our turn. So much fun!
It also reminded me of an elderly neighbor that my mother would decorate a small christmas tree for every year. We would cover it with pieces of oragami and leave it on her front steps after dark.
I love do-gooding!
What a great idea...wish I had done that withmy girls...there's always grandkids someday!
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