May Holidays

A late Happy Mother's Day to you.  It's that time of the year when everything is blooming in much of  the cooler regions of the world. Given that I prefer the winter and colder days I am not excited, but I think much of the world is. That's because May is crowded with holidays and observances. Since the weather is nice outside in more places, why not stick the holidays in May. It starts fast! The first day of May is called May Day and descended from spring festivals that were held in Roman, But now it is a labor celebration in many countries and the old Communist Party day to show off military objects and lie about how communism is the best system. It seems that Communism is almost dead though. So I have my doubts about anyone celebrating communism on May 1st. That May calendar keeps giving holidays that are better than communist lies.

On May 5th Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico a little but far more in the United States, where a huge portion of Mexico has walked across the border and declared "I'm staying". It commemorates a battle when the Mexican army defeated the French at the battle of Puebla in 1862. Any holiday that celebrates the ds defeat of the pretentious French is a good one ion my view. It is celebrated with parades, dancing, mariachi music and other festivities (and plenty of drunken margaritas, an American drink the Mexican crowd seems particularly amenable toward). Take that France!
Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Every nation likes to over celebrate mom on that day, probably in reward for treating her like a servant the other 364 days of the year. In contrast, Father's Day (in June) is virtually ignored  That's because it's mostly a man's world, with male privilege. Why give dad a day when he gets the best of things the other 364 days of the year.

Another big holiday in May is Memorial Day, held on the last Monday in May. This is to make the National holiday into a three day weekend. And isn't that what holidays are about...free time ....no work....an excuse to be lazy. The day is set aside to honor members of the military who died in service to their country. It is marked by parades, displays of the flag, visits to cemeteries, and other solemn activities. But do we really need a three day weekend to celebrate the deaths of soldiers. Most of us don't remember when mom and dad dies, and surely do not celebrate those somber occasions. People who celebrate Memorial Day should just admit that they are taking off three days as a symbol of the start of summer and the time when goofing off is socially acceptable. That holiday has little to do with soldiers.

Those are the biggies in May. But there are many more days that are supposedly right to celebrate in May.  Asian Awareness Month, Egg Month, Historic Preservation Month, Older American Month, Teacher Appreciation Month, Get Happy Week, Hug Holiday Week, Online Romance Week, Frog Jumping Day, Turtle Day, and many more (if curious, click the link)
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/may-2013.html  

May showers may bring May flowers, but they also bring way too many celebrations