Spring in England

Traditionally, the May Day Festival is always celebrated on the 1st of  May every year. It’s an old spring tradition and is still celebrated today, albeit in a different form. Its roots can be dated back to pre-Christian times, to the Floralia, an ancient festival that honoured the Roman goddess of flowers, who was known as Floralia. It was also a festival to celebrate the richness of the soil, the people of the region and fertility of livestock.

Various customs exist around the first day of May. For instance, the Festival of  Beltane – celebrated by the ancient druids of the British Isles – introduced the custom of lighting huge fires in celebration of the sun. The tradition of maypoles also goes back many centuries in an effort to bring together communities. A maypole dance is often performed to celebrate the new spring season.

In modern times, some adjustments have been made to the original festival. In 1978, for instance, the May Day Bank Holiday was introduced in the UK, and today the 1st of May is also celebrated globally as International Worker’s Day.

English teacher  Skidan  L.M.