May Day

May Day

May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on May 1, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere's spring equinox and midsummer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Traditions include gathering green branches and wildflowers, which are used to decorate buildings and made into wreaths; crowning a May Queen, sometimes with a male companion decked in greenery; setting up a Maypole, May Tree, or May Bush, around which people dance and sing; as well as parades and processions involving these. Bonfires are also a major part of the festival in some regions. Regional varieties and related traditions include Walpurgis Night in central and northern Europe, the Gaelic festival Beltane, the Welsh festival Calan Mai, and May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It has also been associated with the ancient Roman festival Floralia.

May Day (James Bond)

May Day is a character in the James Bond film A View to a Kill, played by actress Grace Jones. Jones received a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 1985 Saturn Awards for her performance.

May

May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days.

Day

A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours. As a day passes at a given location it experiences morning, afternoon, evening, and night. This daily cycle drives circadian rhythms in many organisms, which are vital to many life processes.

May Day

Noun

1. The first day of May, a festival celebrating the beginning of the spring season; originally, and still among neopagans, a fertility celebration.
2. Labour Day, the first day of May, a worldwide workers' holiday.