May Day was one of the chief festivals of ancient times and also in more modern times. The Romans held the "Floralia" or festivals in honor of Flora, the Goddess of Flowers, from April 28th to the First of May. The Celts and English used to celebrate May Day extensively. But time makes many changes and as the years increase this custom has decreased, so that in some parts of the country the present generation know May first only as moving day instead of a festival of flowers.

MAY POLE DANCE

If this entertainment is to be out-of-doors a long pole is erected in the center of the lawn; or fastened into a solid base and set in the center of the room if desired for indoor amusement.

Procure a very light weight wheel about twenty inches in diameter. Wind bright colored bunting or ribbon around the wheel and spokes and attach various flowers and blossoms singly and in clusters to the cloth, letting some hang down as vines and festoons. Place the hub over top of May Pole. Insert in the top of hub three pennants of red, white and blue and stalks of flowers. Natural flowers should be used if possible but paper or artificial ones may be substituted.

Attach from ten to twenty bright colored narrow streamers or ribbons to the May-pole underneath the hub; braid these in and out around the May pole intertwining garlands of flowers for a distance of about twelve inches and fasten streamers securely in place. Supply each child with a basket or bouquet of flowers.

The end of each streamer is given to a girl and boy alternately. The girls hold the ribbon in the left hand and the boys hold the ribbon in the right hand. They spread out into a circle the ribbons or streamers at full length the children standing sideways from the May-pole, the girls facing one direction and the boys facing the opposite direction. The music starts up and the children dance around in a circle. The boys pass on the outside first letting their ribbons pass over the heads of the girls, then the girls pass at the outer edge of the circle letting their ribbons pass over the heads of the boys, and so on until the ribbons are braided around the May-pole, and then they are unwound in the same manner if desired.

MAY-DAY FETE

A Japanese fete is suitable for a May Day affair, especially for a large affair where house and grounds can be utilized. The hostess who wishes to carry out the Japanese idea correctly will study a book on Japanese customs. She will find it an easy matter to make her grounds attractive on this idea. Cross two long bamboo fishing poles over the gate and hang two fancy lanterns therefrom. Make a path from gate to house by setting up wooden pedestals surmounted by lanterns (this is the approach to the Japanese temples); suspended. Outline the veranda with the lanterns, suspend large ones in doors and windows, and burn red fire in dark corners of the lawn. Have fans passed by small boys in Japanese costume. Have all waiters in the house dressed as Japanese waiters.

In fixing up the house, take into consideration the Japanese love for flowers and that they have several floral feasts. The flowers can be made from paper. Let one room represent the cherry blossoms, the great flower of Japan. Use the pink cherry blossoms everywhere, against the walls, from chandelier and in the hair of the ladies. Serve cherry ice and small cakes decorated with candied cherries, and cherry phosphate or punch in this room. The wisteria is another flower which is cultivated in great quantities in Japan. This room should be in lavender, and if it is impossible to secure the wisteria for a pattern, show Japanese photographs or have Japanese tableaux, a reading from "Madame Butterfly," or "The Japanese Nightingale," and give tiny fans tied with violet ribbon in this room. In August the Japanese have their feast of the lotus and the pond lily can be used in decoration of one room. Have everything here green and white. Use the water-lily and its broad leaves in a frieze around the room and in a wreath about the table. For the table decoration use tiny dwarf plants in odd jardiniers surmounting an "island" made of rocks. Mirrors can be used about the base of this rocky pile and a miniature garden laid out with tiny shells, white pebbles, and the sprigs. The Japanese delight in making these miniature landscape gardens in the smallest possible space; the dwarf trees, but a few inches high, are the wonder of tourists.

In this room serve white sandwiches tied with red ribbons. These may be chicken, Neufchatel cheese, chopped almonds and Brazil nuts, peanuts, lettuce with white mayonnaise. Serve white ice cream, in scarlet tissue cups, and cake. Decorate the squares of white cake with round red candies in imitation of the flag of Japan. The imperial flag is the gold ball on a red field, the national flag a red sun on a white field and the man-of-war flag, a red sun with rays on a white field. Iced tea may be served in this room.

A fancy dress party, each person representing a flower would be a pretty idea for May Day. Dancing, according to history, was the favorite pastime on this occasion and would be very appropriate at the present time.

VARIEGATED ROSES

Pass pencils and slips of paper to the guests with the following written on each paper:—

Tell the guests that the questions represent some kind of a rose or a word whose last syllable has the sound of rose. A suitable prize is given the person who has the correct answers in a limited time.

The "roses" represented are (1) white rose; (2) red rose; (3) heroes; (4) tea rose; (5) jack rose; (6) wild rose; (7) tuberose; (8) moss rose; (9) negroes; (10) American beauty rose.

RING AROUND A ROSY

The children take hold of hands and form a circle; except one who stands in the center of the ring. They circle around singing this little verse

Ring Around a Rosy
A pocket full of posy
The one who stoops last
Wants to be your Beau-sy

When the verse is ended the children in the circle stoop quickly and the last one down must join the child in the center of the ring. The circle of children go around again singing the same ditty. The last child to stoop this time joins the one who went into the circle the previous time and the child who has remained through the two verses steps out and joins the children in the circle.

DROP THE FLOWER

This is played the same as drop the handkerchief except a flower is used instead of a handkerchief and the verse is a trifle different. The song runs thus—"A tisket a tasket a green and yellow basket. I sent a bouquet to my love and on the way I dropped it, etc., etc."

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