Here in Romania, it’s a pretty big deal. It’s a public holiday, so a lot of people have the day off. This year, for example, because it falls on a Thursday, the government decided to make 2 May a day off as well, creating a four-day weekend. Barbecues with family and friends are the national pastime on 1 May. Spending time outdoors in open spaces (“la iarbă verde” - literally “to the green grass”) such as woods, meadows, beaches, parks, etc., barbecuing and having picnics is also a staple. This year, I’m going with my girlfriend and her parents to Italy and Switzerland (Lake Como and Lugano) - which also means we’ll be voting for president abroad (4 May - first round of the presidential elections).

    • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
      14·
      11 months ago

      From Wikipedia:

      International Workers’ Day, also known as Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every year on 1 May, or the first Monday in May.

      […]

      The 1 May date was chosen by the American Federation of Labor to commemorate a general strike in the United States, which had begun on 1 May 1886 and culminated in the Haymarket affair four days later.

    • ℕ𝕖𝕞𝕠@slrpnk.net
      3·
      11 months ago

      May Day used to be a spring fertility celebration with dancing and flowers. Young men would leave live flowers at the door of young women as a courting ritual.