[I have always wanted to have one but never have the time. And now, i have nothing but time being a student in France...]
D'accord. Let's talk about May Day.
May Day occurs on May 1. All my life i have known this as "Labour Day" or "International Workers' Day". In Hong Kong, people usually go on a parade on that day to strike for whatever they want more (salary, holiday) and less (taxes); while the French celebrate Le
Jour du Muguet.
The origin was like this: On May 1st, 1561, King Charles IX of France received a lily of the valley as a lucky charm. He decided to offer a lily of the valley each year to the ladies of the court. At the beginning of the 20th century, it became custom on the 1st of May, to give a sprig of lily of the valley, a symbol of springtime.
Alors. Lily of the Valley is the reason i am writing this.
It is called Muguet in French, other names such as May Lily, May Bells, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-heaven (such a beautiful name!) or Male Lily. In the language of flowers, it signifies the return of happiness. Legends tells of the affection of a Lily of the Valley for a nightingale that did not come back to the woods until the flower bloomed in May.
On May 1, the French government permits individuals and workers' organisations to sell them free of taxation to collect funds for unions & associations. It is also traditional for the lady receiving the spray of lily of the valley to give a kiss in return.
Voilà. This is what i received today :)
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