May Day Baskets

​By Heather Young, Waterstriders teacher

May Day baskets are small baskets that have traditionally been left on doorsteps or hung on doorknobs on the first day of May. They are filled with flowers, and sometimes other small treats or gifts. You can make your own beautiful May Day basket to give to friends, family, and neighbors--or to bring some springtime beauty to your own home. Often, these are left as a surprise on the porches or doors of neighbors, early May Day morning.  This is an opportunity to have fun being sneaky while doing good.

Materials:
paper 
Paint/crayons/pens/colored pencils
tape 
scissors
ribbon/yarn/twine
 

• Begin with a square piece of paper. (If you are using an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper, cut about 2" off the bottom to get a square)
• Paint/color/draw on the paper
• Roll the paper into a cone shape
• Once it looks right, use tape to secure the cone shape. 
• To make a handle, make small holes on either side of the cone. Where the holes are, re-enforce the paper with tape if the paper is not strong enough. 
• Put a ribbon through and secure on both sides by making a knot. 
• Gather flowers and greenery from your yard to make a small bouquet
• To keep the flowers fresh, soak some paper towels in water and put them in a plastic bag. Place the bag around the stems of the bouquet and secure with a rubber band, then place in the May Day basket.

  More Ideas for May Day Baskets

• Take an empty strawberry basket and fill it with fresh flowers. Weave the basket with yarn and ribbon. Tie on some ribbon to make a handle.
• Wash a waxed cardboard food container (e.g. ice cream, milk, or juice container) . Paint it or cover it with paper. Make holes on each side and attach a ribbon for a handle 
• Choose a glass jar to re-purpose. Decorate it using glue and tissue paper. At the mouth of the jar, under the outside lip, wrap wire or pipe cleaners around the jar to make a handle.