According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, May Day baskets were popular back in the 19th and 20th centuries.
May Day has origins in the pagan festival, Beltane, a rural pre-Christian prehistoric tradition where families who were separated by long cold winters would congregate together to celebrate the arrival of spring and being together. Though it has changed from baskets filled with foods that weren’t available in the wintertime to paper-cones and basketsfilled with fragile flowers and candies, the intent is the same: Winter is over, and it’s time to come together and celebrate spring.
References to May Basket Day can be found in literature from past ages. People would fill paper baskets or cones with treats, baked goods, and flowers and knock on the recipient’s door and yell “May basket!” and run away. If they got caught, the gifter owed the giftee a kiss.
Who doesn’t love a little something from a secret admirer? It might be something fun to try this year!