May 1
Labels :
1er mai,
Batignolles,
May 1,
Paris 17
A what seems to be a specific tradition in France May 1 is to give some "lilies of the valley" to ladies you cherish. They are sold in each street corner - as you can see from some samples from this morning. Anybody can sell, but to some extent the sales are made by organisations like the Red Cross (that's where I made my purchasing this morning).
The tradition was started by a French king (Charles IX), May 1, 1561.
The flower has obviously many names. Here in France, we call them "muguets". It's growing in Asia (it seems to have it origins in Japan), Europe and some parts of North America. At least here in France, the white flowers are in general ready for May 1. If you leave them a bit longer, they get slightly red.
Another May 1 tradition is linked to what you usually call the "Labour Day", but may also be called "May Day", "Loyalty Day"... May 1, 1866 the American labour unions obtained the rights to work only 8 hours, but not yet for everybody (it took decades...). The following days strikes and demonstrations took place and several people (demonstrators and policemen) were killed in Chicago, many condemned and some hanged. The Second International (socialist) decided during their congress in Paris in 1889 to make May 1 a symbolic date. In 1920, the Soviet Russia decided to make it an offical holiday (perhaps not the best word here; anyhow a not-working-day). Many countries have followed, France since 1941.
