Today is May 1st which has also become known in many cultures to be May Day. What is May Day exactly and how can the senior citizens in our midst take part in it?
The traditional celebrations involve dancing, festivities and flowers. The day itself is like the middle point “between a solstice and an equinox and is a celebration of spring.”
May Day was historically designated as a celebration of the renewal of springtime so it is very much a birthing celebration which has become a national holiday in many countries worldwide. As such, it is the perfect opportunity to involve the elderly in some kind of activity.
Another traditional part of May Day is flowers. One tradition is to leave a basket of flowers – without the receiver knowing who you are – at someone’s front door. How adorable would that be for an elderly individual, living alone, to know that someone is thinking of them? Neighbors should arrange to make sure that all the elderly in their building get some flowers at their door. And, in the basket, one could even add some fruit or a hand-made card from a youngster.
The other part of the anonymous basket is that if the person delivering is “caught” they can claim a kiss! What a wonderful way to get the elderly involved in May Day activities!