When all three of my kids were little (preschool and elementary), we used to spend the evening of April 30 making May baskets. They weren’t very fancy—usually a paper cup with a pipe cleaner handle or colored construction paper folded and stapled into a cone with a paper napkin for filler.Then on May Day, the kids would run around to all the neighbors’ houses, leave a May basket on the doorstep, ring the doorbell, and run like crazy. (If you got caught, they could kiss you, you know. Ew-w-w-w!!)
Do you know, 20 plus years later when some of our old-time neighbors ask about my kids, they smilingly remind me of those May baskets and how much they looked forward to getting them every year. A paper cup, a pipe cleaner, and 25 cents worth of candy. Who’d have guessed it would be that important.
4 comments:
Isn't it sad that no one memorializes May Day with baskets anymore? When I was in grade school, we made May baskets for each of our classmates. It was like a regular holiday.
The trickiest was running from those Spindler boys and the easiest was old Mrs. Swanson. By the time she got to the door, we were already safely hidden somewhere. And I always hoped she would find the basket right away so she didn't think we were ding-dong-ditching her (in case she didn't remember it was May Day). Good memories! s.
when i left my apartment yesterday morning for school, there were two may baskets on my doorstep. plastic solo cups, pipe cleaners, candy and popcorn. and a note from the super nice young single mom and her son that live in our building. it made my day!
small acts of kindness!
Hurray! The tradition lives on!
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