May Day traditions

When I was little I always loved May Day. My best friend Jenny and I would race home from school. We'd usually go to her house because she had all the good craft items! We'd create May baskets from paper cups and pipe cleaners and then fill them with candy. There was nothing more exciting than sneaking up to that neighbor's house, placing the basket on the front steps, ringing the doorbell, and running for your life! Ahh, the thrill!!! And in my memory, it was always a sunny beautiful day!

For a long time, from about high school to when we moved to Carlisle, I didn't give May Day a second thought. But I remember that first year we lived here in Carlisle, the doorbell rang on May 1 (and I probably didn't even realize it was May Day) and there was a little paper cup basket of candy. I don't know who delivered us that first May Day basket here, but it definitely brought back the memories. And once again, made me thankful I lived in a small town. I decided then that we needed to start a May Day tradition of our own. At that time, Bradley was just 3 and Brennan wasn't even around yet! The next year we began delivering May baskets to our neighbors. Bradley loved to deliver them! When Brennan got old enough, he began going along. Well, he didn't quite get the "we don't want to let them know who delivered it thing!" I remember the boys going across the street to our neighbors, Jerry and Karol. They set the basket down, rang the doorbell, and dashed behind their front bushes. When Karol, came to the door, Brennan popped out behind the bush, and excitedly asked, "Do you like the May basket we brought???" Bradley came storming home, in utter disgust, that Brennan had ruined the surprise.

Now Bradley is "too old" to deliver May baskets, but Bren is still going strong. This year has been so busy, and to be honest, May Day crept up on me with no preparation. But as we got into the car after school on May 1, Brennan had plans to come home and put the baskets together! He hadn't forgot! So we got out supplies (good thing I've always got tutoring candy on hand), and he created the baskets and spent the afternoon delivering.

I absolutely LOVE this next picture. Not for the quality by any means, but for the emotion that was captured. I was at my living room window and quickly snapped as he was hopping off of Karol's porch. If you click on it to see it full size, you can catch the excitement on his face! ahh... brings back memories of the good ol' days...