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| Maypole Dancing at Bryn Mawr |
When I attended Bryn Mawr College, May Day was a very special day. May Day is one of the four ancient Celtic cross-quarter days, making it an astronomical holiday as it falls between the March equinox and June solstice. Originating from its Celtic name, “Belthane,” Beltane was a spring celebration that included dancing, singing, special bonfires, and house doors and animals would be decorated with yellow May flowers and ribbons. During this time, in various communities in Ireland, people would visit special wells and the Beltane dew was believed to bring beauty and youthfulness to those around it. The name Bryn Mawr is Welsh.
At Bryn Mawr, you awoke to a wicker basket filled with fresh flowers and trinkets at your door. There were no classes. Everyone wore white. Breakfast was omelets and fresh strawberries and cream. The day was spent with maypole dancing, hoop races, and the like. A prime rib dinner and a showing of The Philadelphia Story with Katharine Hepburn (Bryn Mawr Class of 1928) capped off the day.
Tomorrow is May Day, May 1, and there will definitely be fresh flowers and strawberries and cream at CCC. I thought I would post on two favorite new vases at CCC that I plan to use. These would both make great Mother's Day gifts as well.
This gold dot vase is so chic and looks great with any color flower. It is perfect for medium height flowers like tulips.
This petite vase is perfect for a single blossom like a rose or small bouquets like muscari, lily of the valley, and such - it is available in four colors.
What a lovely history lesson and how much fun you had, and still do, remembering those carefree days. When the Scandinavians stopped boiling the Christian missionaries from Rome, we kept the bonfires and our Maypole became a cross decorated at Summer Solstice. "The Mist Of Avalon" is a perfect summer read where both the old and the new come together in King Arthur's court.
ReplyDeleteOf corse just had to have three yellow Kate Spade vases now that my bedroom porch is all about lemons. I'm running out of storage space Beth.
How wonderful that you experienced all that, and I certainly did not experience it at UC Berkeley. Unfortunately, it seems as though we are getting further and further away from celebrating these sorts of traditions.
ReplyDeleteI bought the Kate Spade Make It Pop vase in pink when it was on sale. It's a little bit of a peachier pink than how it appears in the picture.
I loved MAY DAY as a child - as we too had MayPole dancing. What an awesome memory. AND - thank you kindly for history behind this Day. Have a BLESSED day today - AND on MayDAY :)
ReplyDeleteIn kindergarten we would fashion heavy paper cones with handles & fill with flowers. Then we’d put on neighbor’s door, knock, then run away
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