Goodbye April and Hello May

May the poetry of April flow right into your May with just one more poem

One of the many special memories growing up was celebrating May Day with a basket.

A May Basket is a flower-filled basket given out as gifts by adults and children in the tradition of the ancient Roman and Druid holiday of May Day.

May Day which is May 1st is a centuries-long celebration of spring turning into the pleasures of summer. May Day baskets can be given to friends and family, as well as to elderly neighbors or nursing homes.

Perhaps you recall making a basket, setting it on your neighbor's doorstep or hung it from the front doorknob, ringing the bell and running like crazy so no one knew it was you leaving it.

In school we would weave strips of construction paper to create a basket. We'd add tissue paper flowers, candy and packet of seeds.

Several years later I worked at a school where we would make up May Day baskets to distribute in the neighborhood. Each basket included a cheery note to brighten someone's day. The baskets would be hung on front doorknobs or set out on the front steps.

It's not too late to send along a basket full of cheer.
Here are a few easy ideas to get you started.

And could I be so bold as to suggest you tuck your favorite poem inside the basket?