Gemstone: Emerald
Flower: Lily of the Valley or hawthorn
Zodiac: Taurus or Gemini
May. May. What do I think of when I think of May? Trying to not let it be a certain Theresa, that’s for sure…
Bank Holidays, Maypoles, merrymaking, Morris Dancers, Whitsun, blossom.
Yes, blossoms – blossoming, blooming. Perhaps that’s why it makes me think of fertility.
It’s the time. agriculturally speaking, ‘tween sowing and reaping, which is why (I think) there are so many holiday dates for generally chilling.
Speaking of ‘chill’, the weather can be misleading at this time of year, as nice, sunny spells can occur – but one of my favourite Ye Olde sayings is:
Ne’er cast a clout till May be out.
Basically meaning you’ll still need to layer-up (or, if you’re me, continue to wear your SEXUAL thermal vest under errr’ythang) until June (and, probably beyond, if you live in the UK).
Another old wives’ tale is that it’s bad luck to get married in May:
Marry in May, rue for aye.
The first and last Mondays in May are Bank Holidays in (most of) the UK. The first is in lieu of Labour Day and is unofficially known as the May Day Bank Holiday; the second is a replacement for the former public holiday on Whit Monday, and is officially known as the Spring Bank Holiday.
Lots of traditional madcap British activities tend to occur around these two dates, like the infamous cheese-rolling event in Gloucestershire (no, I’m not sure of the significance either, tbh, but can totally relate to chasing a giant piece of cheese down a hill, because maaaan, I loooove the fromage).