May 1st is known as May Day. May Day has quite a history throughout the world. Here in North American May Baskets are made, or should I say they used to be made. The celebration of May Day seems to be one of the past. Traditionally these small baskets are filled with flowers or treats and left at someone’s doorstep. The basket giver would ring the bell and run away. The person receiving the basket would try to catch the fleeing giver. If they caught the person, a kiss was to be exchanged.
The girls and I made several May Day Baskets over the week. The first was made out of two pieces of construction paper cut in to triangles. I punched holes in the edges and we threaded yarn through those holes. We constructed a rectangular handle which was then glued into place. The girls loved glueing crafting flowers to the outside.
Using 12 x 12 scrapbooking paper we made cylindrical May Day Baskets. I used a kitchen bowl and traced a very large circle. I then cut that circle in half and taped each half into its own cone. We glued some ribbon on for a handle. To make our own flowers we used some foam and cut flowers from it. The girls then decorated it with glue, glitter, and glitter glue.
Of course, they look really nice with fresh flowers in them too! For May Day I will be hanging these baskets across our mantle and filling them with the pink azaleas.
Crafts with children are about having fun! Messes are to be made and creativity is to flow. Enjoy May and whatever May Day Crafts you do.
May Day Reading Materials for Kids
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Leandrea is a married mom of two girls, ages 13 and 12, living in Atlanta, GA. She is passionate about helping people save money one coupon at a time. Read more
Yay! Someone else who has a clue what May baskets are. I remember doing baskets like your second picture one year. Another year we covered Pringles cans and other leftover containers with construction paper and used pipecleaners to make handles. The green baskets that strawberries used to come in (do they make those anymore?) also made great May baskets. I think we wove strips of construction paper into baskets one year, too.
It’s fun to hunt through the Easter clearance for things appropriate for May baskets. Target has a lot of cute basket/pail type items in the dollar spot this year that I think would make good May baskets.
What a cute idea! I remember weaving May Day baskets with my mom when I was little and delivering them to our neighbor’s door. So much fun!