Host a Merry May Day Party

The Inspiration and Background of May Day

Hurray, it’s May! It may not be summer yet (unless you live in the American South), but May Day commemorates the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. In other words, cold spells should finally have ceased but it isn’t yet scorching hot, so we celebrate spring in its mild-weathered glory. There are regional variations for how to celebrate May Day throughout Europe, but the general theme is a celebration of spring. A May Day party is a perfect way to start off the month of May.

How to Throw a May Day Party

1. Create the Scene: May Day decorations

Popular May Day adornments include wildflower garlands and leafy branches. May Day decor is basically all about flowers. Ideally, you have access to a place where you can legally pick wildflowers at your discretion. This could be your own yard, a friend’s yard, or a public place. Picking flowers is both free and a great opportunity to appreciate nature. Of course, if you harvest flowers from someone else’s yard, ask their permission first, and be clear on which flowers you may pick. If you go somewhere public, be sure there are no rules against picking wildflowers. If you have no access to wildflowers or if you want to display a more exotic arrangement, you can opt to buy flowers from a florist or your local grocer.

May Day colours include anything bright and beautiful. Easter’s pastel palate can segue into more vivid hues, or you can opt to stay in the pastel range. When purchasing paper serveware and the like, think of the flowers currently in bloom and choose colours to complement. It’s generally classy to keep May Day decorating simple. We know that flowers are the primary May Day decoration. So if you have a beautiful abundance of flowers all around, you don’t need much more in the way of decor. Store-bought flowers can quickly become very expensive (depending on the source), while wild-picked flowers are free. Consider your flower options as you plan your budget. And if you opt to purchase flowers, remember that potted ones will last longer than fresh-cut.

2. Prepare May-Friendly Food and Beverages

The perfect beverage to serve for your May Day party is mead. Mead is wine made from honey. Honey comes from bees, bees make honey from pollen, and pollen comes from flowers. What better way to celebrate May’s flowers than to serve mead! Other good drink options include light refreshments like lemonade, sweet tea and iced tea.

Many European traditions celebrate May Day by starting the day with cake for breakfast. While different countries have different treats associated with this holiday, cake variations comprise the common theme. Bake a cake to serve alongside fresh berries. Many local farms offer you-pick berries for cheaper than buying pre-picked. Grocers will also offer berries, though more expensive, that are likewise in-season. Other foods could include light refreshments like mini sandwiches filled with Greek yogurt and cucumbers, or fruit compote with brie and toasted baguette slices.

A couple universal tips on refreshments: food is likely the largest expense, so be sure to spend consciously and don’t break your budget. Most guests are happy to contribute refreshments when such contributions are suggested or requested (see section 6: May Day Guests). And remember to be aware of any guests’ dietary restrictions and needs so that there are at least one or two decent food/drink options for them as well.

3. Set the Ambience with a Fresh, Flowery Environment

A May Day celebration should take place outside or at least partially outside. If you are lucky enough to live around plenty of trees, your background ‘music’ may consist solely of pleasant bird chirping. If you want to play actual music, anything pleasant and cheerful will do! May Day probably isn’t the time for dramatic mood music that you would more likely play indoors on a rainy day. Its soundtrack aligns more with positive, lighthearted melodies. Play your ‘happy mood’ playlist with all the favourite feel-good tunes.

If the weather or your living circumstances keep you inside, do your best to recreate a springtime environment in your indoor space. Here’s where having plenty of flowers comes in handy, as well as opening windows (weather permitting). There is much that fresh foliage and fresh air can do to bring the outside in! Fresh flowers will add an especially fragrant touch to your home. People appreciate pleasant smells. When something smells good, our mood gets a little boost and we automatically attribute that good feeling to wherever we are or whatever we’re doing. Hence, we build positive associations.

4. Plan Your Maypole

Most people recognize May Day for its maypole: a tall pole in the ground around which people walk or dance in circular unison while holding the ends of long ribbons attached to its top. There isn’t much more to it than this, but you could take any creative liberties here. For instance, you could turn on tunes of your choice to facilitate synchronized dance around the pole – Latin, Russian, pop, etc. You could circle chairs around it and play a maypole version of musical chairs. This could even become a (mead) drinking game. Your maypole, your party!

Finding a maypole is the tricky part. Traditional maypoles are huge. They aren’t something people generally have lying around their living space. You’ll be hard pressed to obtain and safely erect something of that size for a private party. My recommendation, if at all possible, is to find a large and sturdy-enough tree to use as your maypole. Then stand on a ladder or chair to tie up ribbons as high as possible. You’ll first need to tie a sturdy string or ribbon around the trunk from which the long, loose ribbons hang down. Try to situate this string or ribbon so that it won’t slide down the trunk, but can be loose enough to rotate along with the ribbons people are pulling. Though this may be tricky, it should be the only truly tricky part.

You can find ribbons at craft stores or online. You will need as many ribbons as you have maypole dance participants. The ribbons’ length will depend on how high up your maypole/tree you tie them. This might take a little math. And once assembled, this will be a really fun and pretty prop!

5. If Possible, Have a May Day Bonfire

Besides a maypole dance, having a bonfire is another popular May Day tradition. This is one that you obviously have to do outside, and even then it would need to be on private property or an otherwise approved public space within law. You would also need to keep in mind the minimum safe distance from structures, and the local climate and wildfire risk. That being said, should all variables be in favor, a bonfire is a great May Day activity!

Bonfires are an ideal ‘unstructured structured’ activity. A bonfire is ‘structured’ in that someone needs to tend to the fire, everyone needs to sit at an appropriate distance around it, and it serves as something to look at and talk about. But it’s also ‘unstructured’ in that you can simultaneously talk about or do whatever you want. The flexibility is ideal, especially for more laid-back guests or for guests who are less interested in more structured activities. And everybody loves a good story. Nothing evokes compelling stories quite like bonfires. Another ‘unstructured structured’ activity, storytelling is more like conversation led by specific stories/topics. Everyone enjoys relaxing and hearing a captivating story. There is no pressure to contribute, and yet anyone may be inspired to share their own story as well.

6. Select and Invite Your May Day Guests

Every party is an occasion to hand-select your guests. Not everyone will be interested in every party. The key is to determine ahead of time exactly what kind of party you envision, what you will do, and who will enjoy it. If your May Day party will be generally laid back, invite those with more laid back personalities. For a more raucous time around the bonfire, invite the life of the party. If you envision dancing around the maypole, invite those who love to dance.

Also consider your food plan. While most any celebration is cause for delicious food, some are more food-centric than others. May Day leans toward…well, lean. Not strictly lean food, necessarily, but May isn’t the time of year to serve heavy stews or rich dishes. That being said, in the name of saving money and time on food preparation, you could make any party a potluck. Should you choose to do so, give guests plenty of notice up front and be clear as to what to bring or not bring. Plan to provide at least one large dish that is both tasty and filling (just in case others end up bringing things that are less tasty or less filling).

Checklist of Items to Prepare for Your May Day Party

Review this list of all of the physical things you will ideally have for your May Day party:

1. Drinks like mead, lemonade, and/or tea
2. Food like in-season berries, light sandwiches, and cake
3. Flowers, either wild or purchased, and either potted or freshly cut
4. Vases to hold the flowers (if they are freshly cut)
5. Serveware in floral print or floral-inspired colours, whether disposable or real dishes
6. A Maypole or other tree/structure to function as one (if this is a feasible addition)
7. Ribbons for your Maypole (if you have one)
8. Wood and kindling for a bonfire (if you have a safe and legal area for one)
9. A device to play music, and speakers

Checklist of Steps to Prepare for Your May Day Party

And finally, review this list of the actions you will ideally take to prepare for your May Day party:

1. First, establish that your efforts aren’t in vain by confirming that people can come on any chosen date:

1. Choose party date/time, and preferably alternative date(s) as well. Keep it as close to May 1^st as possible, or at least early May
2. Choose guest list and establish minimum number of guests you’d like (to make it worth your effort)
3. Six weeks out, ask guests about their interest in the party and availability on chosen party date(s)
4. If your preferred minimum number of guests confirm interest and availability, have them secure the calendar date for your awesome May Day party!

2. Then, proceed with the fun planning!

1. Schedule time on your calendar for each step of party prep (securing and/or making food/drinks, creating a Maypole, gathering flowers, etc.)
2. Create invitations with all of the details and send them out 4 weeks before the party
3. Order any party supplies and decorations 3 weeks out (so they arrive in time to prepare and set up)
4. Shop for any party supplies/decorations you don’t order online, as well as non-perishable food/drinks
5. In your planned time slots, DIY any party supplies and decorations such as your Maypole
6. In your planned time slots, acquire perishable food/drinks early enough in advance to prepare in time
7. In your planned time slots, set up/decorate with your flowers any other decorations
8. In your planned time slots, prepare food/drinks accordingly (depending on how long things keep)

3. Day of Party (in your amply planned time slot):

1. Complete any last-minute food/drink prep that can’t be done in advance
2. Put out any quick/easy last-minute flowers or decorations that you didn’t want up before now
3. Prepare ambience: start your music if you choose to play it, open windows, etc.
4. Get dressed in your favourite party outfit with plenty of time to spare! Try to wear something light, flowy and floral. Lean more toward cheerful and preppy
5. Once everything’s ready, give yourself some time to meditate or do whatever you need to do to get in a good headspace if you aren’t already. You want to feel relaxed, clear-headed, and energetic. You will be happier in this mindset, and guests will pick up on your contagiously good vibe and will automatically be happier as well – everybody’s best interest!