When prompted to answer the question of their knowledge of May Day, few showed awareness of the holiday. Some acknowledged the famous “May Pole” that is danced around with colorful ribbons, but that was the only sign of their understanding.
International Workers’ Day, on the other hand, is often mistaken for Labor Day, which is consistently held on the first Monday of September. Both revolve around the contributions of workers in labor movements, but they are two very different holidays.
May Day and International Workers’ Day are two holidays that have essentially become synonymous with each other. Held on May 1 annually, neither is recognized as a federal holiday. While International Workers’ Day can also be referred to as May Day, the latter is actually a versatile holiday.
May Day, not to be confused with the distress signal “mayday,” is not only a holiday that celebrates labor workers’ rights, but a holiday that honors the season of spring. The holiday originates from Europe, where practices were first observed in the 200 C.E. The European holiday is different from the one mainly practiced in the U.S., but the former is also practiced in the U.S., and as they have the same name, it can be difficult to differentiate the two. The easiest way to interpret the difference is that various groups of people celebrate their own customs on May Day, and most people celebrate either the spring solstice or labor workers. The May Day of Europe is celebrated in the U.S., but differs from the holiday of the same name.
The May Day that celebrates the season has Celtic origins, but has been spread throughout Europe and reached the U.S. with the European settlers. It never became a popular holiday in the U.S., though it is still recognized and practiced by its people. The holiday marks a midway point, also known as a “cross-quarter point,” and is celebrated with song and dance. Most notably, an aptly named “May Pole” would be danced around, with children weaving ribbons and flowers around the pole. People also gather flowers to decorate their homes and wear them as crowns. Leaving flower baskets and bouquets at the doors of neighbors was a sign of respect and friendship.
May Day, celebrated dominantly in the U.S., and is also known as International Workers’ Day, honors laborers who strived to earn equal pay and equal rights for the working class. It also honors the struggles of achieving an 8-hour workday. Immigrants and union members are typically the ones to celebrate, as the majority of US citizens celebrate the hardships of labor workers on Labor Day in September. While it does often overshadow the May Day that honors spring, it is still a holiday that isn’t recognized equally.
May Day is a holiday that deserves more recognition. It is a very unique holiday celebrating the warmth of spring, and more people should be aware of the holiday. It is important in all of its facets, whether it be honoring the struggles of labor workers or welcoming the arrival of spring.