Until May Day in UK are 9 days.
In 2024 May Day in UK is on May 6th (monday).
The tradition of this celebration goes back to the fifteenth century. It can be observed in many European and American countries and communities, but the most traditional and authentic form was kept in the United Kingdom. In some places this 1st of May holiday is an annual set of events that inaugurate the summertime because it is believed there for spring to start on the first day of February. Other areas are highlighting the middle of spring through this day. It is the time when, since the ancient times, people have been focusing on the results of the season changing. The cattle at this time could be moved from the winter shelters therefore requiring less attention and work. Also, the seeding would be completed by the end of April. Farmers could take a break then and enjoy the beauty of nature growing to its best at that time of the year.
What comes to mind when thinking about May Day Holiday are countless amounts of colourful, blooming flowers arranged in various ways (baskets, bouquets, etc.) which can be seen through such activities like Flower Boat Ritual in Cornwall. A model boat decorated with flowers ‘travels’ around the houses in town (also decorated with flowers), then it is taken to the beach where it is set afloat. In England there are bonfires and barbecues on that day, in a few small English towns tradition of dancing around maypole and coronation of May Queen (with flower crown) is still alive.
In Scotland and Ireland we can observe the Beltane, the Gaelic May Day Festival. In Scotland they celebrate it on the 1st Monday of May which may not necessarily mean May 1st. They have funfairs at their local parks and marches round the towns. Due to that, they often close their roads to traffic between 10:00 and 16:00. A popular town to go to in order to experience the typical Scottish celebration is Turriff.
On that day in Roman times people used to worship Flora, the goddess of flowers. When countries began to accept Christianity, their focus moved from the goddess, Flora, to Holy Mary, Mother of God, who had been represented by many painters with flowers and became a symbol of May. Hence, nowadays May Day contains a mix of traditions and beliefs from both pagan and Christian times.