50+ Lifestyles

Much to Do in May

By Eloise Graham

May 1. May Day. It is the day to dance around the Maypole. Also a time to make little paper baskets and fill with flowers and candy, then leave on neighbors’ doorsteps. These celebrations were started during the Middle Ages, perhaps as early as 500 A D. They were a way to welcome Spring.

May 4, 2019. The Kentucky Derby.This is a well-known horse race, probably the most well-known to non-racing enthusiasts as the day, or week, to don those fancy, outrageous hats. The race takes two minutes, is at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky but the parties and fashion shows are weeklong.

May 5. Cinco de Mayo. An annual celebration, this date is to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. It is more popularly celebrated in the United States than in Mexico. It has become more of a celebration of Mexican-American culture.

May 12, 2019. Mother’s Day. In the United States, ever since 1914, the second Sunday of May has been designated as a special day to recognize Mothers. In 1908, Anna Jarvis started her campaign for national Mother’s Day recognition. It received Presidential Observance in 1914.

May 18, 2019. The Preakness. This is another thoroughbred horse race held at Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland.

May 27, 2019. Federal holiday of Memorial Day on the last Monday of May. This particular Holiday has had various names and dates assigned to it. Originally, it was a date set aside to decorate the graves of those military that lost their lives in the Civil war. This was done monthly in the South for Confederate graves. It was dubbed “Decoration Day”. Women, probably mothers of the killed soldiers, were instrumental in organizing decorating of the graves, both Union and Confederate. In 1868, a uniform date of May 30th was set aside to be Decoration Day. This was the date to honor all those that had died, basically military. But many families would decorate graves of loved ones whether military or not. In 1967, the name of Decoration Day was officially changed to Memorial Day. In 1971, the Uniform Holiday Act changed the date from May 30 to the last Monday of May.