An Ode to May Day (or May-Not Day)

Know this post is coming from a place of love for all moms out there...and an intense sense of envy.

I hate May Day. This is a completely worthless holiday designed to divide SUPER-parents from those of us who struggle to just get through the day with no one losing a shoe. For those of you that say that Valentine's Day is a made-up holiday from the card companies, I counter that May Day is a made-up holiday from Dixie Cups and Jiffy Pop, with Parents Magazine as a sponsor. (Because if anything is going to make you feel inadequate, it is a good parenting magazine.) Maybe you say I just like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day because it means I get presents. And maybe you would be right.

In Iowa at least, it is tradition to make special little cups (May Baskets) with goodies, like popcorn, candy and flowers. You place these May Baskets on your neighbor's porch, ring the bell and run. It's a sweet little tradition that I hate now as a mom.  I loved getting May Baskets as a kid. But once I became a parent, it was clear that I was not going to be the parent who is "on top of it." I blew my first May Day when Max was in daycare. He received about 10 May Baskets from the other kids. At least there were 16 kids in his class so I wasn't the only underachiever. Every year May Day rolls around and I forget all about it again. And now that I have TWO kids, the pressure has doubled - and I have doubly failed. Today Rocco even got a May Basket (special allowing for his food allergies even!) with homemade paper flowers. And I hang my head in shame.

The thing is, I'm insanely envious of all of those parents out there that are going above and beyond. Most days my "above and beyond" is serving dinner on real plates and including one serving of a fruit OR vegetable. And I desperately want to be the parent that remembers the little holidays, like May Day or Boxing Day. Instead, just for one little day, I am filled with a crazy amount of jealousy of the moms (and dads) that make May Baskets for the entire class. I especially like it when my friends point out how this date was in their calendars so they could allot the three days necessary to make all 16 individualized May Baskets and determine an appropriate delivery method (Friend, you know who you are).

So another year goes by and no May Baskets from our house. And I have now decided to boycott May Day so at least it seems that I am making the CHOICE of not making May Baskets instead of completely forgetting about them. And if that brings me a little peace, then so be it. But please ring my doorbell and leave a little something for my babies. I promise not to sneak and eat their goodies...because a boycott is a boycott. And I can pop my own popcorn.