May Day

[potterfan3]

Why is May Day a bank holiday?

[ugly_bob]

because it's only 3 weeks til my birthday ;-)

[ajmmac]

may day has various names--in usa it is called labor(sic) day--also it is known as international workers day--u can read about it here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day

[redmug100]

Its labour day and traditionally it was the first day of summer - Halloween was the first day of winter. These were the Celtic equivelents of New Year.

[Whickerman]

It's because of the international worker's day link, but as mentioned it's also the feast of Bealtaine, which makes it handy for those of us who still follow the old beliefs. Actually, it's surprising how many of our pre-Christian holidays are bank hols here in Ireland, including Halloween (Samhain).

[reinganum]

The Trades Unions urged the Labour government in the 1970s to make May Day (a day of celebration for socialists worldwide) a public holiday. For non-socialists May Day was also an old pagan holiday, and Christians celebrate the feast day of SS. Philip and James. However the government spoilt things by fixing the holiday to the first Monday in May thus removing much of its significance (although it was 1st May this year, it won't be 1st May again till 2017). It's interesting to note that some other countries in the EU also have May Day as a public holiday, but they do it properly and it's always on 1st May.