May Day is sweet and charming and mischievous and light and fun! Do you live in a community that carries on the May Day tradition? If not, you can get it started! May Day is a labor holiday in many places (it has shared a date with International Workers’ Day since the 1880s), but the May Day of flowers and Maypoles is an ancient pagan northern hemisphere festival that celebrates spring. And what is a spring celebration without flowers? One of the most popular ways to gift some flowers is with a May Day basket paper cone.
I once lived in a Midwestern community that was big on May Day. Really big. I had no idea that it was so popular anywhere. The morning of our first May 1, our doorbell rang, and when we opened it, an anonymous little handmade basket of flowers was on our porch, but no sign of the giver. Then the doorbell rang again. More flowers. And again. Then again. So, welcome to the neighborhood – what a fun icebreaker! How can you not smile at such kindness? So I’ve been a fan of May Day ever since.
May Day baskets are usually handmade, and can be as simple as a sheet of paper rolled into a cone to hold flowers, candy or trinkets. To deliver a May basket, it’s very important to wear your track shoes because you ring the bell, then RUN! The point is to leave the gift without getting caught so the recipient has to wonder who did it. Sometimes, it’s someone you would never expect – a kid down the street, a Scout troop, a neighbor you have not yet met, a person with a twinkle in the eye who picked your house at random….
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In reminiscing about May Day baskets, I’ve found some fun and creative ideas for making these special, anonymous gifts. Make some May Day baskets to deliver to special people. You’ll smile. Guaranteed.
What do you put in May Day baskets?
Traditionally, May Day baskets were filled with beautiful spring flowers. Today, you can put anything into a basket! Below you’ll see an idea for some cookies – fill it with what you know the recipient enjoys! Bake their favorite cookies or bread, buy some of their favorite candy, pick out a special potted plant for their home or yard. Have fun customizing your basket!
How to Make a May Day Basket Paper Cone
Delight someone special with some fresh flowers from your garden (or store bought) on May 1st. An easy way to deliver them is in a traditional May Day Basket Paper Cone.
May Day baskets go all of the way back to Roman times, then they became a European tradition. Celebrated on May 1st, it is a celebration of flowers as most gardens in the northern hemisphere are becoming full of color by May. Either cut colorful flowers from your own garden, or purchase some fresh flowers from your local florist. Make someone's day special with a gift of fresh flowers.
Materials
- 12" x 12" piece of paper
- 24" piece of ribbon
- Fresh flowers
- Invisible tape
Tools
- Hole punch
- Paper scissors
Instructions
- Start with a square piece of paper. I bought a pretty one at the local craft store that was made for scrapbooking. Cut off the edge of the paper with the information about it.
- To make it prettier, scallop cut two adjacent edges of the square. You can either use scallop edge scissors, or freehand cut the edge. I did it by hand.
- Roll the straight edges together to form a cone, and tape the edges closed.
- Using a hole punch, punch holes around the top edge of the cone.
- Cut a piece of ribbon that will be long enough to weave through the holes in the cone, then tie a nice bow to be able to hang the flowers from a door handle. I cut my ribbon about 24" long.
- Starting at the top of the cone, weave the ribbon in and out of the holes. You'll want the long pieces at the top of the cone to tie a bow.
- Cut some flowers from your garden, fill your May Day paper cone basket and surprise someone with flowers!
Check out how to make a May Day basket from a tin can – great if you want to make sure the flowers have water.
