Some people still celebrate by dancing around the Maypole. They say the holiday has its roots in Roman mythology, specifically, to honor the goddess Flora.
Yup, DU, I used to belong to a writers' union in Chicago! I am very grateful not to have to work 16 hours a day in a factory. It didn't keep me from making typos, tho' (hoping kind mods will fix it - I asked).
Show your refusal to support pinkos by declaring your loyalty to your country and its military forces.
DECLARE YOUR LOYALTY, DAMMIT. posted by champthom at 5:54 AM on May 1
My daughter is being May Queen of Butter Hill this year (near Wallington in Surrey). Butter Hill is one of the “Realms” which are associated with the Merrie England and London May Queen Festival created by Joseph Deedy in 1913 - probably about the smallest. All the realms seem to be south of London.
It's a curious institution in some ways: no voting, you have to work your way up through just being a May Queen attendant, then Banner Bearer, Crown Bearer, Prince (?) and finally May Queen. It obviously pays to start young. All the local May Queens get together for a big occasion on Hay's Common every year, and someone progresses to be overall London May Queen (they are usually at least sixteen or so by then owing to having to have worked their way up through the hierarchy over many years). But this Saturday we have our own local crowning and a march around the streets with a man playing the bagpipes (?).
The Merrie England people really ought to have a website, but so far as I can tell there is virtually nothing online. posted by Phanx at 6:04 AM on May 1
Oh man. First I forgot to wear a green shirt on St Patrick's Day, now I forgot a brown one for Loyalty Day! posted by DU at 6:25 AM on May 1 [4 favorites]
I spent some time reading up on Beltane yesterday and figuring out how much of a bonfire I could get away with this year. Probably not much of one. Those maypole postcards are really something MMD, thanks! posted by jessamyn at 6:32 AM on May 1
I celebrate May Day by receiving birthday gifts. Screw that Maypole thing. posted by fusinski at 7:40 AM on May 1
I celebrate by building a large man out of wicker and then filling it with...maybe I shouldn't be telling you all this.
But I hear there's some kind of party in the Harz Mountains this time of year? posted by LionIndex at 7:45 AM on May 1
THE May-pole is up,
Now give me the cup,
I'll drink to the garlands around it ;
But first unto those
Whose hands did compose
The glory of flowers that crown'd it.
A health to my girls,
Whose husbands may earls
Or lords be, granting my wishes,
And when that ye wed
To the bridal bed,
Then multiply all, like to fishes. posted by resurrexit at 7:55 AM on May 1
Cause it’s the first of May, first of May
Outdoor fucking starts today
So bring your favorite lady
Or at least your favorite lay
The water’s not cold baby dip in your big toe
Maybe I’ll see you in flagrante delicto
Grass below you, sky above
Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called fucking outside. posted by EarBucket at 8:01 AM on May 1
thanks for posting these, Marie Mon Dieu - they're great
Also in San Francisco/Berkeley, where there are a number of Morris teams. My favorite: Berkeley Morris. This weekend, they'll travel up to a foothills town, to the brewpub owned by an English guy. They'll do the Maypole thing and drink a lot of beer. They also go up there on Guy Fawkes weekend, which is more fun, because then there's a bonfire. posted by rtha at 9:15 AM on May 1
See also the White Rats pervert morris team. They have their bells play pierced into their skin! posted by serazin at 9:52 AM on May 1
I had to do the maypole dancing thing in primary school, and didn't like it. Then I grew up and went to play with the Beltane Fire Society in Edinburgh, and had much more fun. posted by Lebannen at 10:02 AM on May 1
My alma mater celebrates by dancing around a May Hole instead of a May Pole, which apparently represents the patriarchy. The May Hole is a giant pink silk cloth filled with flower petals. I am not making this up. posted by rmless at 3:07 PM on May 1
Marie Mon Dieu, I loved these images - thanks for the nice post.
I was May Queen in some seventh grade parochial school religious procession. It was an unhappy event, humiliating, that was just about the age I started wanting to be cool and being May Queen felt decidedly dweebie. Plus my mother gave me a terrible permanent with goofy bangs. Ah, the adolescent angst of it all, I can tap right into all that humiliation just thinking about it.
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posted by DU at 4:31 AM on May 1