Knock-Knock! Happy May Day!

This post contains affiliate links.

May 1st is May Day, did you ever celebrate?

It began losing popularity in the 1960s but I was born in the late 60s and I remember celebrating when I was young.

It was celebrated by making May baskets. These small baskets were usually filled with flowers or treats and left at someone's doorstep or hanging from the door knob. The giver would ring the bell and run away before being caught.

Tradition says that the person receiving the basket tries to catch the fleeing giver and if caught, a kiss is exchanged.

We celebrated with traditional May baskets we made and filled with flowers. We would hang them on our neighbor’s door knobs, ring the bell (or knock) and run like crazy, giggling the whole time! Then we would hide and try to see the person finding the basket without them seeing us!

I’m sure most everyone knew who was doing it, I can remember an elderly neighbor lady exclaiming just a little too loudly, “Oh what pretty posies! I wonder WHO could have left them for me.”

It’s kind of sad to see such an innocent, sweet holiday fade into history but today’s world seems just a little more dangerous and grumpy.

But if you remember celebrating when you were young maybe you’d like to make a little basket for yourself to remember it by.

Here is how you can make one... or two for yourself!

Choose a suitable item to become a basket... I chose a cardboard cone and a toilet paper roll. Cover each one with your desired papers, I chose blue polka dot and rose papers along with a paper doily for the cone shaped basket.

Flatten out the bottom portion of the toilet paper tube, punch some holes along the bottom edge and lace up with ribbon to form a basket.

To make a tassel...

Wrap the yarn around your 4 fingers, tie another piece of yarn around the top, folded over section then cut the bottom loops. Fold in half and tie another piece of yarn around the top 1/3 to create the tassel shape.

Glue the tassel to the bottom of the cone (or wherever else you want one!). Line the top edge of your basket with crepe paper. The crepe paper I used came in a roll already cut like this but you could easily make your own. Glue it around the inside edge of your basket top.

Next decorate your basket with little bits and bobs!

I used various scrapbooking ephemera (flowers, butterflies, tiny clothespins, etc.) and some vintage items (tiny mushrooms, a yellow bird candle holder, velvet ribbons, etc.)