May 1st, a forgotten tradition from my childhood called May Basket Day.
The season where the wonders of Spring were not only awakening nature into blossoming but encouraging the romantic feelings of youth.
I’m sure no one in my little village knew May 1st was the Gaelic festival of Bethane.
But May 1st was celebrated - not with a bonfire or dancing around the Maypole but in a tradition where a basket containing candy was secretly left at the door of someone you fancied.
There might be pretty flowers on the top of the basket but candy would be left underneath the flowers.
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Handful Of Candy In May Basket
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My first memory of the May Basket tradition was when I was about thirteen and a knock came to my parents door. I opened it to see a little basket filled with candy hanging on the outside doorknob.
It was a common custom on the evening of May 1 to leave a May Basket on the door of someone you had a crush on.
The suitor would come quietly to the door of your home, hang a basket of sweets on the doorknob, knock on the door and ran off. The targeted loved one would chase him down and plant a kiss.
At thirteen I thought boys were icky but loved a good chase. It was getting on dusk but I saw it was Johnny Atkinson leaving my driveway.
His father was a good friend of my father. They both worked together as Forest Rangers and Johnny’s father loved to tease me about boys, especially Johnny.
With my trusty German Shepard dog by my side I bolted out the door and down the street after Johnny. He was a good runner and got almost to the door of his home before I caught him in the driveway.
There in the driveway, my dog jumped him...Did I mention Johnny was afraid of dogs?
Once Johnny was on the ground and my dog barking furiously, I didn’t know what to do. The fun was in the chase, I didn’t want to kiss him.
It was taken out of my hands -he was lying on his back, yelling loudly and waving his arms in the air to ward off the dog. No way he was interested in a kiss at that moment!
An outside light went on and I saw Johnny’s father smiling in the doorway.
I called off the dog, who was only barking, turned and high-tailed home, leaving the frightened Johnny without his kiss for the lovely candy he left on my doorknob to celebrate May 1 -May Basket Day.
My mother teased me for a long time about Johnny and his father teased him about the whole incident.
Nowadays I don’t know of anyone who celebrates the fun tradition of May Basket Day!
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Happy May 1st
Happy May 1st