Spring is just around the corner and we all know that March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers. Once spring arrives, one of the fun things to look forward to with your kids is May Day and May Day baskets! Today, I have several great May Day basket ideas for you!
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What are May Day Baskets?
May Day baskets are small baskets (purchased or homemade) that you fill with flowers and even little treats or gifts! You can make them as simple or as elaborate as you want. If you are struggling with coming up with what to put in your May Day basket, I have some ideas coming up below.
Once you have your baskets compiled comes the fun part.
Make a list of people you want to deliver the baskets to, and then you go and hang them on doors or place them on the front porch ring the doorbell and run back to the car and go to your next stop.
Of course you could also ring the door bell and hand deliver the basket or leave it on the porch and send a text after you leave!
What kid wouldn’t love that? And as a parent it’s always great to find ways to have our kids think of others.
[Check out this post on other service project ideas you can do with your kids!]
May Day Basket Ideas
Baskets:
If your kids like crafts like mine do, they will love the DIY baskets! I love that most of these options don’t take long to make. That’s especially important if you are planning on making a lot!
Paper Plate Basket
Construction Paper Woven Basket
Purchased Basket
Mason Jar (Add a wire handle or use a ribbon)
Flower Pot (You could even paint them like this)
Paper Cone
Paper Cup with pipe cleaner handle (something like this)
What to Put in May Day Baskets:
Now comes the fun part, figuring out what should go inside!
- Fresh flowers
- Plant
- Homemade paper flowers. Here are some cute options.
- Flower seeds and gardening gloves or tool.
- Cupcakes
- Cookies
- Trail Mix
- Candy
- Other treat (Brownie Brittle would be yummy)
- Tea bags or coffee
- Pinwheels (Buy them or make them)
- Bubbles or sidewalk chalk if there are kids
As you can see from these May Day basket ideas, you can make your basket as elaborate or simple and has expensive or frugal as you’d like! Just pick something within your budget and go for it. Your friends will appreciate whatever you do.
Even the simplest option will bring smiles to their faces and make their day just a little brighter.
I promise that your kids will look forward to this each year. In fact, they probably won’t let you forget it. We dropped off cinnamon rolls at Christmas and heart sugar cookies at Valentine’s Day to a lot of friends and neighbors and the kids thought it was the greatest thing. It’s fun to see our kids get exciting about giving, even if it’s such a little thing.
For even more ways to celebrate May Day, keep on reading!
What is May Day?
It’s a celebration of spring and is always on May 1 which is about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. (Learning about the spring and autumn equinox and summer and winter solstice would make a great mini science lesson!)
This holiday is an ancient one and as such as pagan origins. When the Romans began celebrating it, it was for their goddess of flowers. In more modern times, it became a celebration of the return of spring!
May Day Traditions.
We already know about the tradition of May Day baskets, but there are even more things you can do to celebrate.
Other Ways to Celebrate May Day
- Make a miniature Maypole! This is so cute and looks super easy.
- Make a fairy wand from a stick. Here are two options.
- Make flower crowns. Of course you can use real flowers but here is a construction paper version and a tissue paper version.
- Food. Although I couldn’t find any specific May Day food traditions, I did see fresh berries listed as often being eaten. You could take a picnic, make a fruit salad, snack on berries. Just do something different.
- Read a book. There really aren’t many books on May Day. I found the few below on Amazon, but have not read them yet. Let me know if you have read others!
I hope that you are inspired to start a fun tradition with your family this year! A great way to surprise and encourage those around you. May Day baskets are such a simple thing but will be so enjoyed.
