A May Day paper cone full of flowers. (Provided photo — Diane Chase)

I’m often overwhelmed as our seasonal “to do” list never gets shorter. Thankfully, whenever a spring flower starts to push out of the ground, or I see tree buds, I feel a bit of hope. If a flower can push through dirt, snow and leaf litter, I can cross a few things off the sticky note. I need to take things slowly.

I’ve always enjoyed the May 1 tradition of sharing spring flowers with a neighbor or friend. My grandmother shared the tradition with my mother, who passed it along to me. My children picked whatever they could find, but their joy came from leaving a flower for a neighbor and escaping unnoticed. This particular May Day tradition dates back to 1000 BC and the Celtic celebration of Beltane, a festival to revel in the end of the dark, cold months and the beginning of warm, light months. Dancing, bonfires, music and ribbons around a Maypole evolved with this celebration of light. As spring flowers began to emerge, people would leave surprise gifts of flowers hanging from the doorknobs of neighbors, friends and loved ones.

The term “Mayday” is not just a distress call but an internationally recognized one. Originating in the 1920s from the French term “m’aider” meaning “to help me.” As a distress call, Mayday was first used in aviation emergencies. Its use evolved to encompass marine and military operations, becoming a universal call for help. Its simplicity made it easily understood over radio frequencies, clearing the way for a standardized emergency response. The term is given in sets of three, “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday,” a confirmation of the immediate situation.

Though not celebrated in the U.S., International Workers Day is also called May Day. Similar to the U.S. and Canada’s Labor Day, International Workers Day commemorates the struggles of workers and the labor movement. Ironically, this celebration’s roots started in Chicago when the American Federation of Labor organized a national strike on May 1, 1886, advocating for an eight-hour work day to replace the previous 16-hour one. In Chicago, the strike turned into a riot, known as the Haymarket Riot, with loss of life. Eight men were found guilty of murder. Three years later, European trade unions and socialists introduced International Workers Day as May Day to honor workers, the strike, and the Haymarket tragedy. During the Cold War, the U.S. separated from this celebration due to its communist connections. Currently, more than 60 nations use May Day to honor their workers’ contributions.

I plan on avoiding any emergency situations so instead will celebrate May Day with paper cones of flowers. I plan to further delve into International Workers Day as I stand by those who fought so hard for all of us to have decent working conditions. I’ll bring some springtime tokens to my mother’s rehab friends this year. I’m sure her friends will have stories to share.