Games and Activities

The May Queen

   Why do you have to look your best on May-Day?  Perhaps the single biggest moment of the day however is the selection of the May-day Queen (and sometimes the May-day King).  For a woman of the lower class this would be the greatest and most decorated moment of your life.  Think of Homecoming Queen times one-thousand.  If you win you get to direct all the games by determining the fastest race, longest jump, farthest thrown ball, longest held note, most skillful hope-roll, most accurate ring-toes, best guess of number of beans in a barrel (whoopee!) and the finest archer.  7

Races

   One of the major activities for the day was to go picking flowers to fill baskets and then to give baskets of flowers to one another.  Races between men carrying these baskets of flowers is another favorite.  The winner is said to have good luck for a year.

Races between women involve  hoop rolling toward the finish line.  The winner of this game is supposed to be the first one married!  8

Horse Rides

  Horses were also decorated and ridden throughout the day as a favorite activity for children.  But kids, there are a few rules about the horses if you are going to go near them:

1) No yelling or screaming at the horses

2) Don't throw anything at the horses

3) Don't try to touch the horses

4) Do not feed the horses May flowers

4) Don't run and laugh near the horses

Nine Man's Morris

Here's a game I bet you've never played… Nine Man's Morris  is played on some roughly cut grass or a dirt court.  The basic game gives  each player nine counters, identifiable by a shape or a color that is his or her own.  They can be ivory or wood balls, carved or enameled or even sticks or stones.  The counters are called Morrells, which is also another name for the game.  Object of the game?  Get three Morrells in a straight row.  Then you get to take any one morrell from your opponent.  The player with the most Morrells is the winner!  Ok, so NBA basketball it ain't.  But we're talking 1750 here.  Give us a break.

Blindman's Bluff and board games like chess, backgammon and billiards round out the day.  9

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Don't forget to dance around the May pole like these girls from Minnesota!  Although their style of dress is  appropriate to the 18th Century celebration, the four-wheel drive pickup truck in the background is not from 18th century

England.   

The flowers in this girl's hair are similar to those worn by children in the 18th century.  Her eyewear however, is not.