May Caroling

Preparing for a family celebration begins already a month beforehand. Some people start preparations already half a year before, but as we are having 8 Big Ones in a year, not just one or two, like those people, we won't be preparing a half a year in beforehand, just a month :-)

I like my Sabbaths divided somewhat evenly over the year. I my home there will not be a hoop of feasts and then a couple of months of empty waiting for the next one. When one feast is over, preparations for the next one begin, and that's how I like it and want it.

One of the things I like about Holidays are the songs... I believe everyone can sing. Perhaps not perfect, perhaps not even well, but well enough.

I love the caroling traditions, where people dress up for the role and create an event of something so simple as singing together. I have belonged to a couple of choirs in my life and I appreciate the togetherness very much.
Also, singing keeps your soul healthy...

May Day celebration in Härmälä, Finland in the 60's

And learn to play a guitar. They are not very expensive and it is not hard to play. It is not easy to play well, but it is easy to play well enough, and adding an accompany with a guitar is very nice.

You could also learn to play a simple flute, like a recorder. No, that's not an easy instrument to learn to play well either, none of them is, but it's easy to learn to play it well enough.

Just remember, well enough IS well enough. Done is better than perfect, and you are not supposed to be the world's best flute or guitar player, but be able to accompany singing.

Another thing you can consider getting and learning to use (and the same goes with that - well and well enough are two different things) is a hand drum. 

In Sweden they have a tradition called "May Song Guild" (Majsångargille). Guild is a Germanic word (Gilde) which means a gathering, association, society... These song guilds were formed of young men who would go from house to house and sing and expect to be rewarded with a little something, like wassailing or caroling tradition. One could see it as May Day Caroling.

Wassailing is aking to the trick-or-treat tradition, and if you enjoy caroling during Yuletide and Trick-or-treating at Samhain, do incorporate May Song Guild tradition to your Beltane as well.

Dress in all white or green and carry boughs with new-sprung leaves and have wreaths of flowering trees, especially hawthorn on your head, as you wander and sing Spring greetings.

"Now Is The Month Of Maying" should belong to your repertoir...

"O Lusty May" is a record with renaissance spring songs good for Maying. :-)

Here's also some nice suggestions: CanTeach; songs and poems; Spring