Today is May 1st and I’m sure Dorothy of PA and the World, knows it very well… she always reminds me, sometimes beginning on January 1st of the new year, just how many days it is till May 1st… It’s finally here, Dorothy! :o)
I thought I’d show you some May 1st posts… and how I made a May Pole one year….
This post was written May 1st, 2019 and called “Dancing around the Maypole!”
You know what that means? It means Dorothy, in PA, is very happy!! She said she’s dancing because there will be no more snow for months and months! She’s been counting down since 59 days ago…and Dorothy, it’s MAY 1st…so this post is dedicated to you!
I looked up some history about the Maypole celebration and there were lots of pictures so that’s what I’m mostly sharing today… a colorful post to make you smile. There was the occasional story about the Maypole being a pagan holiday and some really crude descriptions of what it may have represented long ago, but I liked what I read in one that said it was “just a fun and wonderful celebration where maypoles were erected “simply” as signs that the happy season of warmth and comfort had returned.” That’s what I’m suggesting it is from my pictures. I hope you enjoy them…and then there’s a surprise at the end…
Some, but not all of the pictures will enlarge if you click on them… the ones that do enlarge are really beautiful to look at up close.
Even the rain doesn’t stop the Maypole Dance!
I found this picture of how the ribbons are woven during the dance…
Here is a picture I found in a post written June 23, 2016… this picture was from Joy’s 10″ dolls dancing around a May Pole she had made…Isn’t this adorable?
This post was written in 2016…and was called “A behind-the-scenes look at how Kirsten’s Mid-Summer Dirndl was set up…”
I did it! I worked at it all day and came up with a Maypole that I hoped would work and then I managed to get Kirsten’s Mid-Summer’s Day dirndl listed on Ebay! (Sorry that was in 2016!)
Here are a few pictures to show you how it all turned out…Maypole and all!
This is how it looked in a few of the pictures…You saw this…
But…if you stepped back 3 feet, this is what it looked like…
I used a piece of a green striped chenille bedspread for the grass and pinned my ribbons onto it. My mannequin was set up on some containers and a trunk was used on the other side.
I used a piece of jute tied from the trunk to the mannequin and then had a white pole I tied in the middle. Then I taped a ziplock bag and put all my ribbons in it, after I had pulled out some length for them to be pinned to the “grass.” I took three of my gingham bias trims and wound them around the white pole. Then I clipped it with a hair clip and covered it with some flowers.
It might not be the best Maypole you’ve ever seen, but when you look at the picture below, it works for me…and Kirsten!
Kirsten very much liked walking on the green grass barefoot!
Well, I hope that made your May 1st just a little better…and maybe a little more colorful! :o)
See you Monday!
Blessings, Jeanne
What a fun post! I enjoyed seeing (again–I’ve been on your blog for a while) the pictures of all the May pole dancers, as well as the one of Joy’s girls dancing around their Maypole. And, of course, Kirsten–such a sweet outfit that was, and I enjoyed seeing the “behind the scenes” look at how you got it set up.
Today (I’m writing after 2 a.m., but I haven’t been to bed yet, so it’s still Friday! LOL) I met one of my friends from our long-defunct doll club for lunch at Applebee’s. We sat and visited for 2-1/2 hours!! It’s been almost 2 years since we last saw each other, I think. I brought along show and tell–one of my Bonekas, my Hanna, and my Gigi. She looked at the two outfits for Gigi that you made, Jeanne, and thought they were wonderful, too! She doesn’t do computers, so has never seen your blog, nor some of the dolls I brought. We had a great time.
After that I went to OUR library!! It finally opened this week. Yay!!
Happy May Day, everyone! I wonder if the kids make paper cones and fill them with flowers to take to the neighbors any more. We did that, in the 1950s, and I think I had our son do that when he was still little, but I don’t think he did that in school.
Happy May Day everyone! I was waiting for Charlotte to beat me today! I think maybe i was getting up as she went to bed!
Oh yes, Charlotte, I remember making paper baskets, we wove at school, not exactly cones, and filling them with flowers, many of which were probably dandelions (!) and leaving them on dorrsteps of the neighbors! Such a fun memory!
Jeanne, those pictures of Maypoles were so pretty! I think I have mentioned that the school my daughter works at has a big Maypole dance every year that is quit elaborate. It is an all girls school, and each girl has a paticular color ribbon, has to wear an outfit that color, and to top it off, her entire family dresses in that color too as they watch! Have you ever seen a man in a yellow sportcoat, or pink, or even orange?? Well, they do it!
Ever since you mentioned that you made a Maypole, I thought i might do the same. However, it has to look good not just for pictures since it would be a part of my room decor, and yours did look so professionally done, ….until you stepped back!! LOL
Oh, how I love Kirsten’s outfit! She is the one doll I don’t have, but I do have many of her clothes. You make such gorgeous outfits for her and this one is one of the best!
What a beautiful day yesterday, and I’m looking forward to another one today! If only we didn’t have those doggone helicopters and pollen sprigs flying all over!!
I can just picture your girls dancing around the maypole. I think you should definitely make a scene. It would be a perfect addition for your lovely decorated home. 🙂
And now the pressure is on!😫
Uh huh!
I’d love to see the Maypole dance at your daughter’s school as well, Linda. Those kinds of traditions are just sweet. Yes, you and I both need to make Maypoles. It was definitely a thing in the Victorian/Edwardian, so naturally Samantha is now demanding to know why one hasn’t been made already. LOL I also see that Colonial Virginians would go out “a-maying”, that is to gather flowers. Looks like some sort of May Day is historically accurate of all my girls.
I would love to see pictures of the Maypole dance at your daughter’s school. It’s something you don’t see anymore and I wish there was more of it. It was so much fun to do.
Barbara, I don’t have pictures, but they do have a YouTube video. It is a bit over 17 minutes long, and takes awhile to watch. If you have the time and patience, it is called on YouTube, “Villa Duchesne May Pole Dance 2020”. Since they haven’t done this years yet. The girls wear white formals and different colored ribbons around their waists.
I will definitely look this up. Thanks, Linda.
Please make another outfit for Kirsten.
My Last May Basket — or maybe it’s only my most recent one — I heard a sound at my door so I went to investigate and found my neighbor at the top of the stairs, several yards away. She laughed and said, “It’s the running away part that’s hard now.” She was 90, and had left a May basket hanging on my door and was trying to escape unseen.
We always put candy in our May baskets, so I made her one with candy and crab apple blossoms — I hadn’t done that in years. The blossoms aren’t quite ready yet this year but they will be soon, and so will the lilacs.
Kirsten’s dress is so pretty that I wanted to suggest a May day dress for her every year, but Julie’s outfit is a perfect May Day match this year.
Who’s next?
That is so sweet that the 90 year old lady was still leaving May baskets! 🙂
I can relate to the “running away part” being harder these days and I’m a lot younger than your neighbor. I love the idea of the May baskets – especially with the candy.
Happy May Day! I am glad to see Kirsten in her beautiful May Day dress. I remember it from when you made it. It is truly one of your finest! Your May Pole was very invented, fun to see what ingenuity it took to get your final scene.
On May Day when my kids were little we would go for a walk in back of the farm, down to a brook to find mayflowers. I don’t know if they grow all over the US but their smell is heavenly, I hope everyone has had the pleasure of smelling a mayflowers
I had no idea there was an actual mayflower. I’ll have to look it up. 🙂
Sylvia, are your mayflowers what we used to call trailing arbutus? I’ve seen that name applied to them, also.
When I was growing up in Michigan, one of our parishioners would pick trailing arbutus on her farm, and bring us a bouquet every spring, early. They smelled so good! Now, I understand, it is a protected species, and people aren’t supposed to pick them. I haven’t seen trailing arbutus since we moved away in 1960.
Loved seeing all of the dancers and their perfectly braided May poles. The only time I remember being in a May pole dance, many years ago, the pole didn’t come out quite like that. Over/under didn’t work so well for some of us. 🙂
Kirsten is so lovely in her special dress, and Jeanne’s May Pole is a wonder. Love the great photos.
And what memories from my Tonner Ann Estelle dolls. Getting all of the kids to stand, hold a ribbon, and not fall over was a thrill for me. I wish I had taken a photo of them when one fell and knocked down all of the rest. So frustrating! 🙂 Hope everyone has a fantastic May Day! 🙂
When I was in sixth grade our first tries weren’t too good. We practiced – a lot – before performing the dance. Our May Day celebration was toward the end of May and as soon as May began, we were out there practicing with practice ribbons nearly every day.
Joy’s May Pole scene is amazing! I count at least 11 or 12 dolls, maybe one a boy, in the picture. Quite a feat, Joy. Thanks for sharing it. That’s one of my favorite Kirsten dresses along with the red-white-and-blue one.
Cinco de Mayo is the big thing here in Southern California but stay off the roads. It’s a big excuse to party for adults whether of Mexican descent or not!
Cinco de Mayo is a big thing here too. We treat that day like we do New Year’s Eve. Be off the roads as early as possible.
Yay! I didn’t know there was an actual DANCE around the Maypole! That is neat. I especially like the picture where it shows how the ribbons are woven together so beautifully, which captures in a way the movement of the people… loving each other. It reminds me of how our lives and interactions might look like a beautiful quilt to God like in His Plan.
That is neat that you ladies made Maypoles for your dolls. 🙂
Happy May Day to All!
I’m going to a wedding this afternoon. My cousin’s daughter is getting married at the fairgrounds. It’s a beautiful, if windy, sunny day. It might be outdoors. I have no idea. This is why I have been to-ing and fro-ing between Northern Minnesota and Southern Minnesota. The brides grandma is my dad’s sister. The youngest sister has come from Kansas. They are all staying with the bride’s grandma. My dad is the oldest at 90. His sisters are 80 and 75.
I remember the pictures of your Maypole set-up. I thought it was very clever. And I really liked Kirsten’s beautiful outfit. Joy mentioned her set-up the other day but I think it was before my time on the blog so I’m so glad you have a picture of it because I really wanted to see it. I see why it was a lot of work and she’s not keen on doing it again. And I know about the “domino effect” when one doll falls and the others follow. I had that same problem when setting up for my tea party.
I was fortunate to be able to participate in a Maypole dance just a few short years before they got rid of traditional May Day at school. They turned it from a fun celebration of Spring – and in PA, as Dorothy has shown, May was something we really looked forward to – into a show of calisthenics. Kennedy was president and he considered May Day celebrations to be pagan, which they were but it was a lovely celebration and everyone, including the parents, looked forward to it. Other than the fact that my mother said if she had to listen to the “Mexican Hat Dance” one more time she was going to pull her hair out. That was after years of watching her children and many others perform to it.
We kids just loved the celebration and the girls got to wear their Easter dresses and dress shoes often wearing our spring coats over them because evenings in May in PA can be cool. We took them off to dance giving them to our teacher to hold until we were through. And the boys were all dressed up and it was so special after a long winter. And every girl hoped that when she got to sixth grade she would be chosen May Queen or be in her court. And every mother hoped her first grade son would get to be the crown bearer and crown the May Queen. My high school boyfriend did just that when he was in first grade. And it was a school’s big fundraiser of the year and helped keep our parents’ school taxes low. When it became more military oriented parents would just come to see their children perform and they wouldn’t stay long for the concessions, etc., so the income from it declined and soon May Day was not celebrated at all. Another decision with unforeseen consequences.
I remember loving to watch the sixth grade girls do the Maypole dance my whole time in elementary school (elementary was 1 – 6 grade back then) and looking forward to the day I would have my turn. The girls would get their streamers and all facing one way they would dance that way and then reverse and dance the other way then at a certain point they would face each other in pairs and the true beauty would begin. The more colors of streamers the more beautiful the Maypole when the dance was finished. Really miss those days.
I love the idea of May baskets. We didn’t have that custom where I was and I’d never heard of it until here but I think it’s a wonderful idea.
HAPPY MAY DAY TO ALL MY SOFA SISTERS!!!
What a fun May Day post. Thanks for all the pictures an Thank You Joy for the scene with your dolls and the Maypole. Can’t even imagine the time it took to set all that up! It is such a great Spring tradition.
We did May Baskets as kids in town but my kids were raised on a farm so it wasn’t a country thing.☺️
Jeanne, I remember Kirstens May Day dress… such a wonderful combo of colors and patterns. She was so cute in it!
Enjoy Spring everyone😉
I’m late because I’ve been enjoying my May day, first a nice walk with my one kitty who, believe it or not, enjoys riding in a pet stroller and then some more yard work and planting the potatoes. It’s warm, the sun is shining brightly, and we have blue skies… what could be better?
I remember Joy’s sweet dolls dancing around the Maypole as well as Kirsten’s lovely dirndl, but it is wonderful to see them again. We made May Day baskets quite a number of years. The neighbors we used to have loved it.
Happy May Day !!!
Happy May Day, indeed!
A lovely day here in Salida though the clouds are coming in. That’s fine.
So enjoyed reading comments today and the last couple days. Joy’s Maypole scene, Jeanne’s set up and the Kirsten set, talks of May baskets and Maypole dances, the pictures. Sure has been a bright spot.
Most of the towns we have visited in Europe have had Maypoles and a big deal is made of May 1 over there. I have never participated in a dance but have done May baskets from time to time. It’s a good tradition to show folks that they are in someone’s thoughts.
Jeanne, the Wisteria set with the little purse and added flowers is so very sweet and pretty…it shows the very best of the 70’s and well done.
HI everyone,
I just read all the comments… (between painting) and loved reading every one of them… I will do my own little dance under “Chandi” (my chandelier) when I get the last of these cabinets painted…
I’m glad everyone enjoyed seeing the pictures again… there are so many pretty scenes and colors in the pictures. It’s almost a bit of Color Overload… I liked the dresses and looked at the details on them…
Thanks everyone… glad to hear about your May 1st day and what you’ve done in the past…
See you Monday,
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, sorry I am so late in posting. I was at a friend’s house working on details for our doll club luncheon in June.
I wish you could see how big my smile is! Yeaaaaaaaa! Thank you for making this post. It is so special. I absolutely love the month of May.
I loved seeing photos of the dancers, children and doll. I am pretending that in one of the photos it is all of the Sofa Sisters, as girls, dancing around the Maypole. What fun that would be!
Thanks, Jeanne. This was so sweet! Dorothy in PAATW
Happy May Day!
Jeanne, Julie’s outfit is lovely. The purse is so much better than a simple basket of flowers, I love it! To answer your question; No my sense of taste and smell haven’t returned yet. My daughter’s hasn’t either. I was doing the suggested essential oil therapy for my loss of taste and smell but the truth is I’m forgetful and there are days I completely forget to do it at all. My best friends daughter had convid 2 months before I did and her sense of taste and smell hasn’t returned yet either. Only time will tell. In the meantime the Lord is teaching me patience. I remember Kirsten’s Mid-Summer’s Day dirndl and her Maypole, it’s a favorite of mine. Fun pictures of what it takes to achieve those perfect photo’s for your auction.
Joy’s girls dancing around the maypole are so cute!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Hugs
Ingrid