Maypole Customs

MAYPOLE CUSTOM

Fires in Celtic times would sometimes be lit beneath a sacred tree or a pole that was covered in greenery.

Beltane (May Day) falls midway between the long cold nights of winter and the longer, warm days of summer. The symbolism around this celebration is that of fertility and plenty.

May Day was a popular festival in medieval England. On May Day’s Eve, youngsters would go into the woods once the fires had died down, to go ‘a-maying’ … to act out the symbolic... joining of the God and Goddess. Then, on May Day morning, the youths of the village would emerge from the woods, decorated in flowers, leaves and garlands to dance around the Maypole. They would visit the houses in the village signing traditional songs and leaving flowers in baskets on the doorsteps of those who were too old or ill to join in with the festivities.

Houses were decorated with greenery for protection over the home and its inhabitants by the spirit of vegetation. The Maypole was set in the ground and coloured ribbons attached to the top of the pole. Dancers would take hold of a ribbon and form an inner and outer circle. The group on the outer circle dances counter-clockwise and the inner circle dance clockwise while weaving in and out, weaving the ribbons as they danced. As the ribbons are weaved together, blessings and happiness are weaved together for the coming year.