People may wash their faces in pre-dawn May Day dew for good luck and beauty. Then on May Day they dress in the gayest attire, wear fresh garland wreaths in their hair, and dance around the pole -- symbolizing the god.
Many have prepared May baskets full of rich illustrious flowers, charity, and goodwill. They may give the baskets to shut-ins, elderly persons, or others in need. Sometimes, as secret gifts, the baskets are placed on doorsteps of lovers and friends. Homes and buildings have the markings of the celebration of May Day with decorations of lush greens and budding branches and limbs.
The May Queen (May Bride) and May King represent sacred union and fertility. The Earth Goddess and Goddesses of Fertility are the May Queen, and the Vegetation God or Jack-In-Green (frequently covered in green leaves)are the May King, forming a bonded couple that symbolize the joining and union of the goddess and god. They are here to awaken the fertility of the land.
The Maypole ribbon dances are two circles intertwined in clockwise circles. Music, marches, lavish feasts, and pageants create sights and sounds to commemorate the occasion.
Throughout the history of the world, the Witches’ Sabbath Eve of May Day and May Day have been honored in a variety of ways. In Rome, the ancient Pagans observed Floralia (April 27-May 3) as the festival of the Flower Goddess Flora and of Springtime. On the first day of May offerings were made to Bona Dea, or Mother Earth, the Lares or household guardian spirits, and Maia or Goddess of Increase. Maia is where the word May gets its name. Also, on May 1st the Roman Catholic custom was to crown the statue of Mary with flowers.
Other common happenings included the keeper of livestock’s custom to let out the animals to graze in the pasture on this special day, or to drive their herd through fire, as a cleansing and virility blessing.
Another event is a mock combat or battle between winter and summer, enacted in Pagan Scandinavia.
In some England villages, permanent maypoles were constructed, and in Germany the single men cut down fir trees, and placed them in the court where they were guarded overnight, until the May Day Dance.
Other traditions have included jumping over or through the Fire, or dancing clockwise around the Fire; anointing ponds, springs, and other hallowed waters with flowers and garlands; and gathering holy water from the sacred bodies of water -- or perhaps bathing in them.
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