The Post Oddity Of The Week: Queen Of The May
Created | Updated May 5, 2013
It's May! Celebrate.
Crowning the Queen of the May
The Library of Congress describes this picture thus:
Dorothy Zimmerman, as Spring, crowning Irma Sweeney as the May Queen at the May Day festival at the Neighborhood House, Washington, D.C.
We don't really know who these people were, or what the Neighbourhood House was for. Probably something civic. They seem to have been having a good time.
May Day is an ancient ritual in Europe, of course, but it was big in parts of the US in the 1920s-1940s, as well. People had field days, and crowned May Queens, and even danced around maypoles. We have no information as to what exactly they thought a maypole was for.
In parts of Germany, there is a similar tradition known as a Maibaum. In the Eiffel Mountains, for instance, adventurous youths sneak onto their gfs' properties at night and 'plant' the decorated sapling in the chimney. The result is picturesque, though the execution may be hazardous, especially when male relative object.
However you celebrate the coming of May, enjoy yourself, and remember to take your antihistamines.
