Paris Win: May Day in France

To have a reason to buy flowers is almost a ridiculous concept.  Who needs a reason to bring something beautiful and cheerful into the world?  Not me.  Not you.  No one.  But sometimes it’s nice to have a little push.

Even the President stops to smell the...lilies.

May 1^st is May Day, a sort of Labor Day in France (on Sunday?) and while many stores and museums are closed, the flower sellers are out and about.  Organizations like the Red Cross are selling their lilies of they valley on the street, a tradition that dates back to the French royal court in the 16^th century.

The lily of the valley is steeped in tradition, and apparently the flower was first grown from the tears of Eve when she was banished from the Garden of Eden.  Other legends say that the flowers grew from the tears of the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross.

Both stories are depressing and should be forgotten.

Flowers.  Just.  Everywhere.

But King Charles IX apparently was given the flower as a lucky charm, and, smitten by the gesture, gave the flowers to all of the women of the court so that they could all get lucky on May 1^st…awkward, but much sweeter than virgin tears at an execution. 

The idea, however, of selling flowers in the street on May 1^st, I’m down with it.  Why not every day?  Why should we ever need a reason to treat ourselves with a little bouquet?  I guess we can start with May 1^st and work our way to the other 364 days.  It’s only a matter of time, I suppose.