from the Chronicles of Celtic Customs by Brian Day CELTIC. As with so many customs the association of May Day with floral decorations may have a multiple origins rather than being from just one easily identifiable source. Hawthorn was sacred to Persephone, goddess of spring, and its flowering in ancient times signaled the time to start the Celtic festival of Beltane. The use of greenery in May celebrations echoes pre-Christian tree and nature worship and the commemoration of the resurrection of Attis, lover to Kybele, goddess of flowers and fruitfulness. The crowing of the May Queen (and May King or Green Man) may possibly be a long surviving relic of the myth of Kybele and Attis. Another possible origin of the May Queen is the image of Flora the Roman goddess of spring. However, the election of a May Queen (and King), the parading and erection of a maypole and the dancing and sports that followed may owe more to English influence than to indigenous Celtic commemoration. The Celts saw this day as the climax of the ritual, annual combat between summer and winter, with the latter giving way. This may explain the habit of stealing maypoles and other paraphernalia from one's neighbours, as to steal their maypole was to steal their luck. This practice is known from the Isle of Man, Wales and Cornwall. Prior to the Restoration the advent of the merry month of May was a time of great celebration to welcome the summer, but as ever the puritans soon toned things down. Girls rose early to bathe their faces in the May morning dew, which was held to have curative and beauty properties, and to grant wishes, and considered it lucky to draw the first water from the well this morning. People tended to be suspicious of happenings on May Day, lest they be portents of what the summer had in store for them, and guarded animals, produce and wells. This was the start of summer farming jobs. Cattle were turned out to pasture, and from now on would be milked outside. Sheep were moved to higher ground and the tilling of the soil started. Labourers would be hired and land rented or tenants' rents collected. May Day was a Celtic quarter day. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com Professional Genealogy Research All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002