Ding-Dong-Ditch Day is almost here! Do you know it? It’s on the first day of May. We make baskets filled with candy and flowers, and we go ding-dong-ditch our friends and neighbors!
Okay, so it’s really called May Day. Not everyone knows or celebrates this tradition, but I grew up with it. Early morning on the first day of May, my sister and I would go out with my mom and deliver small baskets full of flowers and cookies to our friends. It became a tradition that most of our friends came to expect and still remember.
So, of course, as soon as Landon was old enough, I was on it! My friends in Santa Monica had no idea what was happening but just as when I was a kid, some friends have now come to expect it. And some friends have even caught us in action. The idea is you hang the basket on the door or put it on the doorstep, ring the doorbell, and run! Hence, why my kids call it “Ding-Dong-Ditch Day.” This year, my husband will watch Kiera, and I will take the boys out. Over the years, we’ve had to narrow it down a bit. Many of our friends live in apartments or town houses, and it can get really tricky with security codes, etc. Not quite as easy as the suburban midwest (I grew up in the Chicago suburbs.)
So what’s May Day really all about?
According to History.com, it’s believed to have originally started with the Celts of the British Isles. They had a May Day festival that was thought to divide the year in half – between the light and the dark (sounds a little Daylight Savings-ish, no?).
You may also think of the maypole dance that historians believe was actually originally a fertility ritual. The pole symbolizing male fertility and baskets and wreaths symbolizing female fertility. Sorry – you may never look at a maypole the same way again. LOL
Into modern times, May 1 became known as May Basket Day where baskets were made with “flowers, candies, and treats and hung on the doors of friends, neighbors, and loved ones.”
If you follow me on Instagram, I’m sure you’ll see us laughing and running from house to house on May 1. I’ve included a few highlights here from past years, as well as a link to one of my favorite crafty bloggers on how to create your own May Day baskets.
Here’s a links to one of my favorite May Day basket ideas:
May Day is not a common tradition but one I hold near and dear to my heart. Let me know in the comments if you are familiar with May Day as well.
