So glad you found it useful! I love digging into all the old traditions 💫 The wheel of the year is brilliant as you get a new festival to celebrate every 6 weeks! ☺️
In 2000 I started working in a school in Cambridge, in the city. The small infant school was built in 1933 and closed down for good in 2003. They had their own maypole and a tradition of crowning a May Queen. I was 28 and had never had anything like this in my childhood. We learned all the dances ( I think 2-3 different ones) and joined in with the children with parents watching. Also invited were previous May queens and pupils, some of whom could remember doing it as far back as the 1930s. It was such fun. I always wonder what became of the school maypole.
I love this! Especially the returning May Queens. 😍 It’s a such a shame traditions like this have largely disappeared. I remember at my school the May Queen would get her photo in the local paper each year and everyone in the village would come to watch the dancing, it was such a big thing! 💫
This was so informative! I've been trying to get into the Wheel of the Year celebrations the past year or so, this article has given me some ideas as to how I can spend my May Day. Thank you Victoria! 🌼
In Sweden, the eve before May 1 is known as Valborg and celebrated all across the land with festivities throughout the day and evening bonfires to welcome in the official season of light and warmth. It feels ancient and magical! I loooed this letter, Victoria. It really got me super excited about this most exciting festival! 🔥🪻
I was at primary school in the very urban Black Country in the 60s and early 70s and we had a Maypole celebration every year. This was preceded by practice in PE lessons the week before and then a big celebration in the playground. Always loved it.
I think the maypole depended a lot on the school - my siblings got to do it though I never did (we moved and their new lower school had the tradition while my middle school didn't).
I do love the folklore of Beltane though... I made my kids the wands back when they were young, there might even be one still around here somewhere! I also think this is a great time to try some of the fun floral/outdoor things: like taking a sip of the honeysuckle nectar, viewing the bluebells (I miss those now I live here in the USA), making toad houses (my daughter used to love that) and maybe planting some seeds with the kids. I'll have to dig into my folklore and activity books and see what else I can find.
Ah yes, So many great outdoor craft ideas at this time of year! Love all of your suggestions… Especially the toad house as coincidentally I’ve just made one of those with my son. I think I actually enjoyed it the most out of the two of us 🤣
Really enjoyed this article, have been reminiscing about maypole dancing (in the 1970s) and later being one of the May Queen’s maids of honour at our church’s May Festival.
So glad you found it useful! I love digging into all the old traditions 💫 The wheel of the year is brilliant as you get a new festival to celebrate every 6 weeks! ☺️
In 2000 I started working in a school in Cambridge, in the city. The small infant school was built in 1933 and closed down for good in 2003. They had their own maypole and a tradition of crowning a May Queen. I was 28 and had never had anything like this in my childhood. We learned all the dances ( I think 2-3 different ones) and joined in with the children with parents watching. Also invited were previous May queens and pupils, some of whom could remember doing it as far back as the 1930s. It was such fun. I always wonder what became of the school maypole.
I love this! Especially the returning May Queens. 😍 It’s a such a shame traditions like this have largely disappeared. I remember at my school the May Queen would get her photo in the local paper each year and everyone in the village would come to watch the dancing, it was such a big thing! 💫
This was so informative! I've been trying to get into the Wheel of the Year celebrations the past year or so, this article has given me some ideas as to how I can spend my May Day. Thank you Victoria! 🌼
In Sweden, the eve before May 1 is known as Valborg and celebrated all across the land with festivities throughout the day and evening bonfires to welcome in the official season of light and warmth. It feels ancient and magical! I loooed this letter, Victoria. It really got me super excited about this most exciting festival! 🔥🪻
Absolutely love this! Hope you have a great Valborg and May Day! 🔥💫
I was at primary school in the very urban Black Country in the 60s and early 70s and we had a Maypole celebration every year. This was preceded by practice in PE lessons the week before and then a big celebration in the playground. Always loved it.
I love this! It was so much fun wasn't it. Should definitely be reinstated...
I think the maypole depended a lot on the school - my siblings got to do it though I never did (we moved and their new lower school had the tradition while my middle school didn't).
I do love the folklore of Beltane though... I made my kids the wands back when they were young, there might even be one still around here somewhere! I also think this is a great time to try some of the fun floral/outdoor things: like taking a sip of the honeysuckle nectar, viewing the bluebells (I miss those now I live here in the USA), making toad houses (my daughter used to love that) and maybe planting some seeds with the kids. I'll have to dig into my folklore and activity books and see what else I can find.
Ah yes, So many great outdoor craft ideas at this time of year! Love all of your suggestions… Especially the toad house as coincidentally I’ve just made one of those with my son. I think I actually enjoyed it the most out of the two of us 🤣
We used to do May pole dancing too! May is coming around so fast 😮🌼
Loving this little group of maypole dancers I’m discovering on here! 💫😁
So interesting! Loved reading this Victoria. I love the beginning of May, it holds such promise. It’s also my birthday on the 2nd! X
Ah, lovely. The best time of year to have a birthday! Happy Birthday for tomorrow! x
Thank you Vickie xx
Really enjoyed this article, have been reminiscing about maypole dancing (in the 1970s) and later being one of the May Queen’s maids of honour at our church’s May Festival.
This is lovely! So pleased to find this little maypole dancing community on here ☺️
Definitely! And for adults too. I would totally dance round a Maypole given the opportunity
Sitting in East of England, with warm clothes on, it's hard to believe it's nearly May! Here's hoping the weather warms up to celebrate.
So many wonderful ideas! I love reading these for each season!
Thank you! So pleased you enjoyed it and a Happy May Day for next week ☺️💫