The         v      When  I was growing up in the midwest it was common for teachers in the elemenary schools to celebrate May 1 and begin looking forward to summer.  Students might bring treats to share with their classmates and teachers might have a small party for the students.  In some countries it is an official holiday.  In Russia during the time of the Soviet Union May 1 was observed  as the International Workers Day and was celebrate with large parades in major cities, like Moscow.   In other countries such as Germany, England and Ireland, people might erect a May Pole, crown a May Day queen, or light bonfires.  For a brief overview of this often overlooked holiday, you can investigate the Wikipedia entry for May Day.        

The San Jose Libray has a wide variety of materials available (childrens books, cookbooks, history books, etc) that talk about May Day.  Check out our catalog if you want to know more.