May Day is significant in many different ways. First, May Day, also known as the International Workers’ Day, is a celebration of the labor movement and other left-wing movements.
Maypole Dancing from www.vagabondbaker.com
International Workers’ Day originated in 1886 when workers around the world gathered to demonstrate against impossible working hours and to demand the 8-hour working day. Before this movement it was common for factory workers to work 10-16 hours a day in dangerous, unhealthy conditions. These demonstrations soon achieved their goal and the 8-hour working day was made an official policy. Therefore, in some countries, International Workers’ Day is not only celebrated by labour unions, but by all workers because (setting its socialist roots aside) the day has come to symbolize social justice and international labor rights. Traditional celebrations for International Workers’ Day usually include public demonstrations and organized street marches.
The second way to celebrate May Day has its roots all the way down in pagan, European customs of the Middle Ages. May 1st (when simply called ‘May Day’ not ‘International Workers’ Day) is a celebration of springtime fertility and the abolishment of winter. In Germany and Scandinavian countries, for example, May Day takes the form of a carnival, and most young people use the day as an opportunity to party. In the United Kingdom May Day often includes folk traditions such as Morris dancing.
Here’s an old English rhyme about spring:
A swarm of bees in May
Is worth a load of hay;
A swarm of bees in June
Is worth a silver spoon;
A swarm of bees in July
Is not worth a fly.
Happy May Day to you all!
Also in May:
World No-Tobacco Day – May 31st
International Day for UN Peacekeepers – May 29th
The Day of Cyrillic Alphabet – May 24th
International Day for Biological Diversity – May 22nd
Cultural Diversity Day – May 21st
Cultural Diversity Day: A Special ‘Hello!’
World Day Against Homophobia – May 17th
World Telecommunications and Information Society Day – May 17th
Mastering the Art of Cheek Kissing
International Day of Families – May 15th
World Fair Trade Day – May 12th
Red Cross Crescent Day – May 8th
World Press Freedom Day – May 3rd
Tags: 8-hour working day, International Workers' Day, May Day, spring
Hello, I'm Deborah Swallow and, for the last fifteen years, I've worked in over thirty countries addressing the complexities of people working internationally across multiple cultures, so individuals and organisations alike can gain an authentic competitive edge and win in international markets. 