I have very fond memories of May Day on May 1st. My mom made the day fun and I looked forward to seeing her smile. I would start planning my strategy early in the morning, so I could surprise my mother with the traditional May basket that would hang outside on the front door knob. Wild flowers, such as Boy Britches, May Flowers and Sweet Williams, were in full bloom and I can still smell the fragrance of their Spring emergence. If I had school on May 1st, I needed to start my basket first thing in the morning; therefore, I could finish before the school bus arrived. Most generally, all I had at my disposal was a piece of paper from my “Big Chief” writing tablet. I would wrap the paper in a cone shape and glue the seams together. Then I took a pencil and poked two holes in the top of the paper. These holes would hold a section of ribbon which would enable me to hang the basket on the front door knob. In our backyard, at the edge of the lawn by the woods, I could find an assortment of wild flowers (my mother’s favorite flowers), especially the Sweet Williams. After picking a pretty bouquet, I very gently inserted the flowers in the paper cone basket. Now comes the best part of May Day—hanging the May basket on the front door, ringing the door bell and running to hide so my mom wouldn’t see me. However, I would hide close to the house behind the huge Maple tree in our front yard, where I could peek around the trunk and witness the joy-filled smile on my mother’s face. After she opened the door and found the May basket, my mom would look left and right, searching for the mysterious May basket giver. To this day, I don’t ever remember my mother revealing or even hinting that she knew it was me, and her radiant smile remains a glorious memory of May Day!
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