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Today is May Day. This means many things to many people. I asked a few colleagues if they knew, and I heard several different interpretations.
• “It’s International Workers’ Day, dating back to the Haymarket martyrs of 1886. Labor Day-ish.”
• “It’s the day immigrant workers don’t show up to work, in protest.”
• “May Day starts a month-long celebration of the Virgin Mary.”
• “Something to do with Pagans.”
• “May Day means drunken college students in Scotland run naked into the North Sea.”
We could go one of two ways here. I could rehash the Wikipedia entry on the origins of different May Day celebrations around the world. Or you could chime in with your own thoughts about what May Day is (anyone ever run naked into the North Sea?) The latter sounds like a lot more fun. (If you were hoping we’d go with the former, click here.)
I realize I’m stretching with this picture. It’s the Sammy “Mayday” Malone jersey I bought for my friend Kevin, a big fan of both Cheers and the Sox. This represents the greatest gift I’ve ever given, and could be the single best customized sports jersey purchase in the history of commerce.
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May Day or Beltane is a pagan holiday on the wheel of the year. There is a pagan sabbat about every 6 weeks. Beltane celebrates the rites of spring and is typically celebrated with bonfires. Much, much more detail I could impart but that’s what Google is for.
posted by KJ on 5-1-2007 at 6:29 am
All right, off topic a bit, not really about the day. But the distress call “May Day! May Day!” is derived from the french “m’aider” which means “help me.” Again, sorry off topic.
posted by Katie on 5-1-2007 at 6:32 am
Katie – No need to apologize. Good stuff.
Anyone know how Sam Malone earned his nickname?
posted by Jason on 5-1-2007 at 7:03 am
Hooray, hooray, it’s the first of May. Outdoor sex begins today!
posted by B.G. on 5-1-2007 at 7:07 am
A Victorian tradition for May Day entails May Day baskets, which were filled with flowers and delivered anonymously to the object of one’s affection. If he/she caught you doing the drop and run at the doorstep, he/she got to kiss you.
This custom survives in small pockets of the US through the efforts of grade school teachers– that’s how I learned about it. And yes, I am delivering a basket today.
posted by lleachie on 5-1-2007 at 7:31 am
Didn’t Sam’s nickname come from the fact that he was a lousy pitcher?
posted by Bill T. on 5-1-2007 at 8:22 am
When I was little I thought my brother had his own little holiday, then I learned better. But Happy Birthday anyway, bro!
posted by Amber on 5-1-2007 at 8:26 am
It seems that May Day is a very popular birthday. I know five people with May 1st birthdays, as well as Tim McGraw, MC Harvey, and Calamity Jane.
posted by Allison on 5-1-2007 at 8:57 am
I can’t top B.G.’s remark, but I remember May first as being the first day my parents would let me go barefoot outdoors.
posted by Miss Cellania on 5-1-2007 at 9:10 am
Not only a popular birth day, it is a also popular day for conception. So, if you don’t need a child right now … maybe plant a pepper plant instead.
posted by M on 5-1-2007 at 9:59 am
In Oxford where I’m at university, Magdalen Choir sings hymns from the top of Magdalen Tower at six a.m. (usually to a crowd of severely inebriated people), and then there is morris dancing and other general merriment in the streets =)
And sometimes especially drunk people jump off Magdalen Bridge, just because, but they’re cracking down on that now.
posted by Julia on 5-1-2007 at 10:16 am
Sam Malone’s nickname came from the fact that he was a relief pitcher. Hence, when the pitcher was in trouble, he sent out a “Mayday” and Same went in and saved the day.
posted by Anthony on 5-1-2007 at 10:35 am
In Hawaii, May Day is Lei Day, so all of the lei-making contests are this week. All schools in HI also have a May Day Pageant: students vote for a Queen, a Princess for each of the eight islands, and male consorts for all the ladies. The rest of the school dances hula for the royal court, and then royal court dances hula for the students. Sometimes the court is dressed in traditional Hawaiian garb, and sometimes in Victorian gowns, but they always wear tons of lei.
posted by Rachel on 5-1-2007 at 11:20 am
I never even realized May Day was a holiday. I just thought it was what people called May 1 for some reason. Now I understand why our Beijing office is closed all week!
posted by Sara on 5-1-2007 at 11:20 am
May Day – the Real Labor Day! IMHO it’s a communist holiday!
posted by Antik on 5-1-2007 at 3:02 pm
“Mayday! Mayday!”
“What’s that?”
“Why, that’s the Russian New Year! We can have a parade and serve hot hors d’oeurves…”
posted by Sillstaw on 5-1-2007 at 3:14 pm
Paganism, Commuinism, and naked swiming in the north sea? This is some kind of holiday!
posted by Xeno on 5-1-2007 at 4:02 pm
Doesn’t anyone remember about May Poles? It’s where you get a pole with a bunch of ribbons tied at the top and run around it until it weaves a pattern. Now, I’ve never actually done one, but I’ve heard tons about them. *smiles* Happy Beltane!
posted by Rosalie on 5-1-2007 at 6:27 pm
Regarding your “the single best customized sports jersey purchase in the history of commerce” comment…
Living in the Washington DC area, my Washington Nationals have been a pure joy–no matter if they can’t ever seem to win this year. The team’s star centerfielder is number 19, Ryan Church.
His uniform features “CHURCH” in block letters above his number. I, a Jewish fan, will soon be receiving a Nats jersey, number 19, with “SYNAGOGUE” across the top.
A better gift, in my opinion.
posted by Max on 5-2-2007 at 7:36 am
Not the greatest purchase…the Red Sox don’t have names printed on their home jerseys…do some research before buying a bogus gift…and if your friend was such a Sox fan, he’d know this and would not have worn it.
posted by Jon on 12-29-2007 at 1:45 pm
People would not have gotten the reference without “Malone” written on the back. I stand by my purchase, and it is greeted with high-five after high-five at Fenway.
posted by Jason on 12-29-2007 at 1:54 pm
Nice post Jason!
Thanks for bringing several interpretations regarding may day together. I knew generally it is celebrated as International Workers’ Day.
posted by Alex Brown on 4-21-2008 at 1:07 am
saw lots of morris dancers & may-pole dancers this morning on my way to work, do you not have them in the states?
posted by JC on 5-1-2008 at 8:03 am
Coaches like to say that the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back.
My favorite is when the name on the front is the SAME as the name on the back.
Washington, Marcus OLB
Washington, Tavares T
both play for the Washington Redskins.
Any more you can think of?
posted by Parks on 5-1-2008 at 1:01 pm
Washington College, Chestertown, MD, has a tradition of nakedness on May Day. A University sanctioned “holiday” of sorts, May Day is observed more widely in years when May 1 is warm. In colder years, the nakedness does not commence until after the students are drunk enough to no longer care about the ambient outdoor temperature.
On May 2, I have to admit, it seems weird to see people with their clothes on again.
posted by Nicole on 5-1-2008 at 4:55 pm