Does anyone do May baskets any more? It’s such a lovely custom, and it’s always surprising to me that florists don’t promote it. How difficult could it be to partner with a Girl Scout troop or something?
On the first of May, you fill home-made paper baskets with spring flowers, place them at the door of, say, a neighbor, an elderly person, or a teacher and run. As kids, we used to knock and go hide in the bushes to see the look of surprise on the neighbor’s face. With fewer neighbors at home during the day now, the surprise is for the person who gets home from work first.
When Suzanne and John were small, they did May Baskets every year. I remember one neighbor (who had figured out where the basket came from) telling me, “Oh, I’m going to be so sad when your children grow up!” Of course, part of the drill is to pretend you have no idea what your neighbor is talking about.
There is a really simple way to make baskets from pages of discontinued wallpaper books. I’ll tell you if you ask. Here is another way.
(P.S. The birthstone rings are from Luna & Stella.)
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
As a recipient of May Day baskets, it is a special treat. Particularly so because of its selection of first blooms from the backyard carefully nestled in a homemade basket…Not to mention the novelty of having something besides the morning paper or a UPS package on your doorstep!
More on May Day…
http://www.marthastewart.com/268025/may-day-celebration
Thank you! If Martha Stewart is on the case, surely the tradition will be revived!
I never knew this tradition–how very lovely! Makes me wish I had small children, because it would *very* fun to do with them.
It’s fun to do it with small kids and blanket the neighborhood, but an adult might pick one elderly neighbor or new mom to surprise. š
ā¤ Thank you for a good idea!