How interesting it is to celebrate the holiday of spring and labor
Fans of traditions and mass celebrations need only go to the main street of the city and take part in the processions. A great option to get together with colleagues and create your own “representative office”. In addition to being fun, it is a great flash mob and an opportunity to introduce a new company. If there is a signature song set to the music of revolutionary anthems, such a column will remain in the memory of the townspeople for a long time.
Supporters of pre-Christian traditions will love the idea of celebrating Walpurgis Night - a pagan holiday celebrated with masks and carnivals. Don’t forget about the “witch” paraphernalia; a lit candle or a fire will help to emphasize the originality. By the way, it’s a good idea to celebrate May Night around the fire - the favorite holiday of the people of Germany, at the same time choose a May Queen and a King, dance all night around a May pole with ribbons, and tell scary stories.
If you like spending time with barbecue, celebrate the Slavic day of Mother Alive. According to tradition, it is customary to eat deliciously and a lot, sing songs, have fun - this is exactly what all Russians do, going out with their family and a group of friends into nature with barbecues and grills.
Also, no one has canceled tourist traditions - a trip to another country, a trip to one’s native land. A long weekend allows you to fit in a lot of events and enjoy both business and leisure.
Origins of the holiday
The first of May is celebrated not only in Russia, but also in other countries - citizens of more than 140 countries consider this date theirs and celebrate Workers' Solidarity Day. Celebrations are held in the USA, Europe, the Middle and Far East, and the CIS countries. In Soviet schools they taught that May Day was the day of unification of the working class in its struggle against the capitalists. Today the information is irrelevant, but there is some truth in it - May Day is still considered the day of the unification of trade union organizations, and it is they who are responsible for ensuring normal working conditions.
Ancient history of the holiday
If you don’t like the labor direction of the date, you can always remember the ancient times when May 1 was the date of the arrival of spring.
For example, in Ancient Rome, celebrations were dedicated to the goddess Maia, who was responsible for fertility. Various games and festivals were intended to appease the gods; the peasants hoped that in this way they would be guaranteed a good harvest.
The Slavs also celebrated Zhiva Day - it was Zhiva who gave life to everything on earth and therefore her celebrations were especially valued by people who were entirely dependent on the gifts of nature. Europeans tried to time the first sowing season to coincide with this day, firmly believing that in this case the crop harvest would be excellent.
But let's go back a little closer, because the history of the May 1 holiday is rich in events. In 1886, a huge number of workers in Chicago went on strike, the goal of which was to establish a working day of no more than 8 hours. The rally, which began quite peacefully, escalated into mass clashes with the police and troops and ended with the death of a large number of workers. It was from this date, May 1, that the holiday began to be called International Workers' Day, and for a long time had revolutionary sentiments.
Second birth of May Day
A few years after the sad events in Chicago, May Day acquired international status. The Congress of the Second International in France decided to massively support the workers and introduce the tradition of holding rallies and processions. It was customary to make banners, express social demands, trade union leaders put forward their demands - the crowd of working people was good support in order to achieve a softening of working conditions. The official name of the holiday, May 1, was assigned to the day - World Workers' Solidarity Day.
Then the sad events began to be forgotten, rallies and parades were called May Days, the holiday of spring and labor acquired a completely different orientation, which continues to this day.
Workers' Solidarity Day around the world
In total, about 142 countries celebrate May Day, and if in the Russian Federation and the USA the date is celebrated on the first day, then in Europe some countries prefer to rejoice on the first Monday of May. The traditions of countries also differ. For example:
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- Spanish men give their ladies the first flowers - they bloom just at this time.
- In Germany, celebrations are celebrated on a grand scale. On warm days, mass celebrations, booths open, and fairs are organized. And everyone who loves their soul mate must plant a tree - a lovely tradition and so beneficial for the environment.
- The Swedes firmly believe that it is on the night of May 1 that garbage should be burned, so huge fires come on in cities and villages, people throw everything that has accumulated into heaps and it’s time to burn it, and they watch with pleasure the cleansing of their homes. By the way, not only dilapidated household items are used, but also garbage from the streets and plots - it turns out to be a kind of “May cleanup day”. While the fires are burning, the Swedes are having fun, the morning begins with ceremonial gatherings and rallies of trade union workers and the working class.
- The Greeks and French pay tribute to the first flowers by decorating their homes and themselves with lilies of the valley and other plants. The Italians are not far behind them, generously showering acquaintances and friends with bouquets of fragrant flowers.
The record holder for flowers is Holland. Tulip festivals begin on May 1st. The sea of flowers of various shades, shapes, and types is mesmerizing. And, by the way, the flow of tourists is increasing - everyone wants to look at this riot of living nature, albeit grown by human hands.
