Does anyone remember making May Day baskets as children?  I can remember making them in school by weaving strips of construction paper together and then folding our woven creation into a cone.  We would fill them with tissue paper flowers as the teacher explained the tradition of secretly leaving baskets filled with flowers on the door of a neighbor on the first day of May.

How exciting, and a bit frightening to sneak up to my next-door-neighbor’s house, hoping she wasn’t looking out the front window.  Then to tiptoe up the steps and hang that flower filled cone on the doorknob, hands sweating for fear of making a noise and giving myself away.

My heart would be beating so hard that I could hear it in my ears, and my breathing was fast and shallow.  I would plant my feet in a run-ready position, lean in toward the door and press the doorbell.

Ding-dong!

As the bell signals the beginning of the race I was off and running as fast as my little feet would carry me, never daring to look back over my shoulder.  Running so quickly all the way home, up the steps, into the house, shutting the door  behind me and leaning back against it’s strong shelter.  Whew . . . I made it!

What a thrill it was to leave a secret gift to brighten my next-door-neighbors day.  Do you think she ever guessed that it was me, the little girl who spent so much time at her house playing with Sport, her black Cocker Spaniel, or sitting next to her husband while he showed me his amazing collection of rocks?  What a good lesson this child learned about doing nice things for people, not to be seen or noticed, but just because it is a good thing to do.

It is a wonderful principle to live by isn’t it?  Giving without thought of reward or out of a need to be noticed?  We’ve been blessed with abundance and it is only fitting to give back a portion of what we’ve been given.  And somehow . . . almost like “magic” . . .  when we give out of our cup of abundance it always fills up to overflowing once again.

So . . . what do you think . . . am I too old to sneak over to my next-door-neighbors house, leave some flowers on the door, ring the bell and run like the wind so she won’t catch me?  Haha!  There are pictures that come to mind of turning to run and tripping over my own shoelaces, or attempting to leap over the little hedge that runs between my neighbor’s house and mine and not quite making the leap . . . It makes me laugh out loud!  Shhh . . . I’m writing this in bed and Mr. OTN is trying to sleep 🙂

Okay . . . so maybe I’ll think of another way to practice a secret kindness!

You can view more about making a thrifted May Day planter HERE . . . or . . . to see some of the most gorgeous (TRULY)  May Day baskets I’ve ever seen head over to my MAY DAY Pinterest page.  There is even a pattern for a child’s May Day basket.  Why not carry on this fading May Day tradition and teach your own wee ones how much fun it can be to give back?

      May Day blessings to you,