Labor Day / May Day
May Day, or Labor Day, is a public holiday in many countries
worldwide. It usually occurs around May 1, but the date varies across
countries. It is associated the start of spring as well as the celebration of
workers.
Celebrate May Day/Labor Day
May Day ceremonies that stem from
the traditional centuries-old May Day traditions are celebrated across the
world. In Hawaii, May Day is known as Lei Day to celebrate the island’s
culture.
In the United Kingdom, May Day is
still celebrated in many towns with the crowning of the May Queen. Maypoles can
still be found in some towns and May Day traditions may include hobby horses
and local people dressed in costumes. In Oxford, traditions are upheld
for May Day celebrations, starting with the choir of Magdalen College singing
from the top of the chapel tower.
Public life
May 1 is a national holiday many
European countries including (but not exclusive to): Finland, France, Germany,
Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. It is also
celebrated in countries in Central America, such as Costa Rica and Panama, and
in some parts of the Caribbean, including Cuba. It is also a national holiday
in Mexico. In South America, it is observed in countries such as: Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. May 1 is also a
national holiday in the Russian Federation and Asian countries such as China,
Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Labor Day holiday, or Labour
Day, is celebrated in the United States and
countries such as Australia and Canada at
different times of the year.
About May Day/Labor Day
Originally a celebration of spring
and the rebirth taking place in nature, May Day dates back pagan cults that
worshipped trees and other symbols of nature. Traditionally, May Day is
characterized by the gathering of flowers and the fertility rite of dancing
around the maypole. In recent years, particularly in socialist and Communist
countries, May Day has become a labor festival honoring the military and
industrial efforts of the country.
The eight-hour movement to reduce
the working day from 10 to eight hours began after the Civil War. It was a
major aim of the National Labor Union, whose first congress met in 1866. By
1868 congress and six states passed an eight-hour legislation. In 1884 the
National Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Assemblies decided to call
for a general strike on May 1, 1886, to enforce demands for employers to
observe the eight-hour day. In 1947, amidst the anti-Communist Cold War
hysteria, the US Veterans of Foreign Wars renamed May 1 as "Loyalty
Day" and a joint session of Congress later made the pronouncement
official.
In many countries, the May 1 holiday
was obtained by trade union agitation supported by socialist parties. However,
in Germany where such agitation had proved fruitless, it was instituted in 1933
as a gift from Hitler, being promptly followed by the abolition of trade
unions. In the United Kingdom, a May Day Bank Holiday was instituted in 1978
for trade unionists to celebrate, but was held on the first Monday in May to
minimize the damage to business.
In China, Labor Day was extended to
3 days during the 1990s. The Chinese government made it a seven-day holiday by
moving the prior and upcoming weekends together with these three days. This
holiday allowed millions of Chinese people to travel during this period. The
Chinese government reduced this holiday period down to one day in 2008, while
simultaneously reviving three traditional Chinese holidays: the Dragon Boat
Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Symbols and Superstition
Many ancient customs associated with
May Day come from the old Roman festival of flowers. These include gathering
branches and flowers, choosing or crowning a May Queen and dancing around a
bush, tree or decorated pole (the May Pole). The sports and festivities held on
this day symbolize the rebirth of nature as well as human fertility. In Spain,
a tall pine tree is used as a Maypole. It is decorated with ribbons, beads, and
eggshells as people dance around the pole and sing May songs.
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