May Day was a favorite day in my little Wisconsin town. Every year my Mom would help my siblings and I create small paper baskets filled with sweet treats and tiny flowers. On May 1st we would wake early, gather our baskets, and run around the neighborhood leaving baskets on doorsteps, ringing doorbells, and running to hide before getting caught. Of course all of our friends were delivering their May Day baskets at the same time and we would catch glimpses of one another hiding behind garages and diving behind shrubs. Such a thrill ! Kids, running, laughing, candy, surprises. . .does it get any better? At school Mrs. Schmidt would get out the giant May Pole with all of its' glorious ribbons so we could dance.
The first time I mentioned May Day here in Idaho I was shocked to learn they had no idea what I was talking about! I knew something needed to be done about that. I don't have a May Pole, nor do I remember what we are supposed to do with all of those ribbons streaming from it, but I am all over the basket making/basket sharing piece. I make one for each of my students and at some point we hear a knock at our door only to find an enormous basket filled with a small May Day basket for each student. I share my own childhood stories and then we get out our supplies and make May Day baskets to share with a friend. If you google images for May Day baskets you will find ideas galore.
This year we will make these cute cones from skiptomylou.org :
This year we will make these cute cones from skiptomylou.org :
Cute baskets! I also remember doing May Day baskets for friends when I was little (in MT!) This year my kiddos made baskets for the other 2nd grade classes and it was SO exciting. They loved doing it and then we snuck into their rooms while they were at recess and delivered them. They loved it!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the idea of sneaking into another classroom with baskets in the middle of the day!
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