Wednesday 29 April 2009

Labour Day - Fete du Muguet


We are off the France for the weekend to stay with friends and celebrate the 1st May



The origins of Labour day strangely enough, started in the USA. On 1 May 1886 American Labor Unions organized a strike in favor of limiting working hours to an eight-hour day. In 1889 it was decided to make May 1st a special day for demonstrations. In 1941 the Vichy government, declared May 1st the feast of labor and national concord. It was to be a day on which workers could stay home and must still be paid.


Americans, just to be awkward, now celebrate Labour Day in September; and the British, who like all their holidays to be Mondays, keep May day on the first Monday in May.

May 1 is also La FĂȘte du Muguet, and the tradition is to give the ones you love a little bouquet of lily-of-the-valley, for good luck and to celebrate the arrival of spring. Originally the idea was to take the kids into the forest and let them pick your own muguet together. Of course, in the city you will more likely buy it from the florist's, or better yet, from one of the countless stands that sprout up overnight on every street corner and every road in France, most of them doing this as a fundraiser for one cause or another. We will go to the forest and pick our own.


In many towns and villages the whole place is turned into a giant flea market - a bit like a UK car boot but with more wine! and for several years we have run a stall with our friends.
I hope I can find some nice French bargains :-)

Hope you all enjoy the holiday weekend.

MM xx

6 comments:

  1. Oh wow - have a wonderful time, I am soooo jealous! Bon Voyage and thanks for follwoing my Blog - it means so much to know there is someone out there! xxx

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  2. Enjoy your special time out there, look forward to seeing if you brought back any pretties :)

    X

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  3. I received my Payitforward gift today!

    Thankyou!! Love it love it!!
    The beautiful heart is now in my bathroom - will blog asap!!

    Love Sam xxx

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  4. Have a great time! We've been enjoying our own muget (bought from a florist as the plant in my own garden has refused to flower this year). We're near Toulouse - I wonder where you will be this weekend!

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  5. Hope you have a great time, can't wait to see what you bring home!

    And thank you for my pay it forwards gift, have blogged it :) xx

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  6. Thanks for solving the "mystery" of all the flowers by the side of the road & on every street corner while we were in France!
    Lizzie x

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