It's a Jolly Holiday in May! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Saturnalia (Roman)

May Day was a time of festivity in Europe and in Britain particularly to celebrate fertility. The practice continued even after the introduction of Christianity. Traditional British May Day rites are still observed in England and throughout Britain, including the crowning of the May Queen, dancing around the Maypole, and Morris dancing, an indescribable dance traditionally performed by men. In Scotland the Beltane Fire Festival, a music and drama festival, is held on Calton Hill in Edinburgh.

In Germany, Walpurgisnacht bonfires and the wrapping of the Maypole occur the night before May Day. In Finland, youngsters observe Walpurgis Night by crowning statues with colorful caps, and then on May Day itself, called Vappu, are carnivals, picnics, and outdoor concerts.

The Festival of Flora, or Floralia, was actually a weeklong celebration filled with the ceremonial release of goats and hares (symbols of fertility) and the scattering and pelting of bystanders with beans and lentils. The festival opened with plays and ended with games and spectacles at the Circus, including acrobatics and animal acts. Prostitutes would also dance nude and perform mock gladiator battles. Lastly, sacrifices were made to Flora, the goddess of flowers.

Saturnalia, by the way, was in December, just before what is now Christmastide.

Answer: Father's Day

May Day has roots in Celtic, Germanic, and other pagan rites of spring. The crowning of the Virgin Mary in some countries was meant to Christianize the pagan practice of crowning the May Queen during the Middle Ages. In modern times, this is not official Roman Catholic practice but a folk practice, however, though in many parishes a major celebration, especially in Italy, Ireland, and the USA. In fact, the entire month is generally dedicated to the Virgin Mary among Roman Catholics.

Liturgically, since 1955, May 1 has been the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, which Pope Pius XII established in response to International Workers' Day, which brings us to the next answer! IWD commemorates the 1886 Haymarket riots in Chicago, when workers were striking for an eight-hour day and other rights. The Second International Workingmen's Association proclaimed the holiday in 1889. In many nations around the world, May 1 remains Labor Day.

The USA had established a September labor day in the 1800s to distance itself from the growing international socialist movement. In 1958, President Eisenhower declared May 1 to be Law Day as part of the Cold War against Communism: "In a very real sense," he stated, "the world no longer has a choice between force and law. If civilization is to survive it must choose the rule of law." As it is not among the federal holidays passed by Congress, however, government offices remain open on this day.

In Sweden, the spring May Day festivities have been moved to April 30, now called "Last Day", and May 1 remains International Worker's Day. In many other countries the "green-root" (pagan) and "red-root" (socialist) festivities are combined on the same day, without much regard for the original significance of either!

Answer: No

The United States of Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain on September 16. Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates a single battle against not the Spanish but the French! On May 5, 1862, Mexico defeated France at the Battle of Puebla. This defeat of a European colonial power was a proud moment of victory for the Mexican people. Over time, Cinco de Mayo has expanded significantly, however, to become a day of Mexican pride, a time to celebrate not only Mexcian but also Hispanic culture in general with song and dance.

By the way, I almost said "North Americans refer to Cinco de Mayo..." but I stopped myself because Mexico is in North America! In fact, Mexico used to encompass what are now the U.S. states of Texas, New Mexico, California, Nevada, and Arizona.

Answer: World War II

On 8 May 1945, Germany surrendered to the Allies. In the USA it is known as VE Day (for Victory in Europe), but it is not widely celebrated. In France, however, which had been occupied by Germany, it is a grand day of celebration and remembrance with ceremonies and church services. Overhead fly airplanes and down the street march parades. People lay wreaths on monumens aux morts (war memorials). On this national holiday, banks, schools, government offices, shops, and even many restaurants are closed.

The day ends with lots of a wine and food. In Reims, Champagne, where Germany signed its surrender, the typical supper is game ham with charouce (a soft white cheese) and, unsurprisingly, champagne.

Answer: Anna Jarvis

The story behind this is interesting. Ann Jarvis, the mother of Anna Jarvis, tried to establish a "Mother's Friendship Day" in order to "reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War." She died before she could make it an annual celebration.

On June 2, 1872, Julia Ward Howe led a "Mother's Day for Peace" march, which was observed annually for the next ten years before petering out. The temperance movement also failed to generate a national Mother's Day tradition, although many local communities had their own. In 1908, Anna Jarvis with the help of Philadelphia magnate John Wanamaker got an "official" Mother's Day observance going, which was soon adopted in New York. Jarvis then lobbied Congress. Finally in 1914 Congress passed a law, and President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother's Day officially. Anna Jarvis always ignored Howe's efforts or other traditions, however, and claimed Mother's Day was strictly her own invention. In fact, two years earlier in 1912, she had trademarked "Mother's Day" (with the singular possessive spelling).

Many countries have adopted the U.S. Mother's Day. Other countries, like the UK, go by the Christian holiday called Mothering Sunday, which is the 4th Sunday of Lent. In Mexico, El Día de las Madres is on the second Friday in May, while in Nicaragua it is May 30.

Answer: David Ben-Gurion

On Yom Ha'atzmaut, the speaker of the Knesset (parliament) gives a speech, followed by dancing and the ceremonial lighting of the twelve torches, one for each ancient Tribe of Israel. Families display the flag of Israel and hold reunions, with barbecues and picnics. Many cities hold outdoor concerts and fireworks displays. Jerusalem hosts the International Bible Contest (Hidon HaTanakh), and participating countries include the USA, Canada, Australia, and Mexico. Players attend Bible Camp in Israel for preparation (and to tour the country and meet dignitaries), and the winners get a college scholarship.

Not everyone in Israel nor all Jews worldwide celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut. The declaration was read the day before the end of the British Mandate of Palestine, and for many Arab-Israelis and Palestinians, May 15 marks al-Nakba ("the catastrophe"). Some Jewish sects do not recognize the holiday, either, as they condemn the creation of a Jewish state before the coming of the Messiah, and they mark the day by fasting and praying, if at all.

Answer: Florence Nightingale

During the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale would make her rounds, tending the wounded by the light of her lamp. In her day her popularity was second only to Queen Victoria herself. Her later achievements included improving the conditions in British hospitals in India.

In 1953, Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare proposed to President Eisenhower that he proclaim a "Nurse Day" in October. Although he did not make the proclamation, her request sparked a movement. In fact, in the USA, the American Nurses Association sponsors National Nurses week from May 6 through May 12, and the Canadian Ministry of Health does likewise. Around the world, the International Council of Nurses designated May 12 as International Nurses' Day in 1974.

In the UK the occasion is marked with solemnities. During a service in Westminster Abbey, a lamp from the Nurses' Chapel passes from one nurse to another, and then to the Dean who places it on the High Altar. St. Margaret's Church in Hampshire, Florence Nightingale's final resting place, holds a memorial service in her honor on the Sunday after the 12th.

Answer: Teachers' Day

First celebrated in 1918, the date was possibly chosen because in San Luis Potosi every May 15 students would gather to celebrate the birthday of their old teacher Isidore, named after St. Isidore the Laborer. (In Mexico, children are customarily named after the Christian saint commemorated on their day of birth). Colombia also has a Teachers' Day on May 15. On that day in 1950, Pope Pius XII declared San Juan Bautista de La Salle patron saint of teachers, and upon hearing the news the President of Colombia proclaimed the day a national holiday. In Jamaica, Teachers' Day is May 6 (or the first Wednesday). Students and their parents bring gifts, and schools close at lunchtime. National Teacher Day is on Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week in the USA, which is the first full week of May.

Not to be confused with World Teachers' Day, which is October 5. Many other nations have their own national Teachers' Day, including Albania (March 7) and Taiwan (September 28).

Answer: Ascension Day

Customs associated with Ascension Day center on worship services. In some places, beans and grapes are blessed, and the paschal candle, which had been lit since Easter, is extinguished. Some churches in England still "beat the bounds", which means that parishioners put chalk marks on the stones that form the boundaries of the parish, and they may hit the stones with sticks. In medieval times this was important because churches often took responsibility for the illegitimate children born within their parish. In Florence, Italy, traditionally a dove would slide down a string to ignite fireworks in front of the cathedral's main entrance. (I do not know what became of the bird.) Germany holds its Fathers' Day on Ascension Day, and in Haiti, Denmark, Madagscar, and many other nations Ascension Day is a public holiday.

In some countries, such as the USA, Roman Catholics observe the feast on the Sunday following Ascension Day, also referred to as Ascension Thursday and the Feast of the Ascension. Awkwardly, it is sometimes called Holy Thursday, which is also another name for Maundy Thursday, the Thursday BEFORE Easter. (Confused yet?)

Answer: Pentecost

Pentecost (which comes from the Greek for "fiftieth") is fifty days after Easter, which means on the modern Gregorian calendar it could fall anywhere between May 10 and June 13. On the first Pentecost, Christians believe, the Holy Spirit descended upon the twelve Apostles, who began to preach. Pentecost is essentially the birthday of the Christian Church, and on that day around A.D. 30 (there is disagreement on the precise year), St. Peter preached a sermon that led to 3000 conversions. The day also coincided with an ancient Jewish festival, the Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot (which was also called Pentecost, because it was held 50 days after the first Sunday of Passover). '

Pentecost is also called Whitsunday, especially in Britain, after the white garments worn by the newly baptized. The week following is Whitsuntide, which in the Middle Ages was a mandatory vacation week for English serfs. Generally speaking, Pentecost is celebrated with festive meals, processions, church services, and various local customs. In Italy, churchgoers throw rose petals from the ceilings of churches to replicate the miracle of the fiery tongues of the Holy Spirit which landed on the Apostles. A French custom is to blow trumpets. Many European nations recognize Pentecost Monday or Whit Monday, the day after Pentecost proper, as a public holiday, including Denmark, Germany, Portugal, and Switzerland, and also a few African nations, such as Senegal.

Answer: 2

This has to do with Scotland having a bank holiday on one day, and the rest of the UK having it on another. The first was designated in 1871 as the Whitsun Bank Holiday, or Whit Monday, and could fall anywhere between May 11 and June 14, except in Scotland, where it was ALWAYS the first Monday in May. In 1971 Parliament replaced this with a fixed spring holiday on the last Monday in May in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, while Scotland kept its first-Monday holiday. Then in 1978, Parliament added the last Monday in May to Scotland's calendar and the first Monday in May to the remaining countries', and now the whole of UK has two bank holidays. I hope you followed that! In short, there are two public spring holidays in May, the first and last Mondays in May. A good time to be in the UK!

In 2002 and 2012, the second bank holiday was moved to June 4 to follow an extra bank holiday on June 3 to honor the Golden and Diamond jubilees of Queen Elizabeth II. Likewise, the holiday was on June 8 for the Silver Jubilee in 1977.

A bank holiday, by the way, means a public holiday -- and yes, the banks are closed, and sometimes shops and public attractions. Many people must work during bank holidays, however, but they get extra pay (if specified in their contracts).

Answer: Queen Victoria

Canada became confederated into the Dominion of Canada in 1867 under the rule of Her Majesty Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India, etc. The holiday is Victoria Day, or Fête de la Reine in French, and colloquially called the May Long Weekend or May Two-Four, a pun on Queen Victoria's actual birthday (May 24) and on a case of beer (24 cans). It is a federal holiday, marked by parades, concerts, and fireworks. At noon in each provincial capital and in Ottawa soldiers fire a royal (21-gun) salute. Many summer businesses, such as resorts, parks, or bicycle renters, open for the season. Canada is the only member of the Commonwealth of Nations to celebrate Victoria Day. (It used to be Empire Day in the UK; now the Brits observe Commonwealth Day in March.)

In Quebec, however, since 2003 the day is officially called National Patriots' Day (Journée Nationale des Patriotes), to commemorate the a rebellion of Quebecker patriots (Patriotes) allied with U.S. sympathizers against the British in 1837, called either the Lower Canadian Rebellion or the Patriots' War. (The Patriotes were suppressed.) Before that it was the Fête de Dollard, in honor of Adam Dollard des Ormeaux, a colonist and soldier of New France, as the French colonies in modern-day Canada were collectively called. Concerts, banquets, marches, speeches, and awards ceremonies are among the celebrations.

Answer: True

At a moment's notice the men and women of the armed forces may be called up to conduct a risky, perilous mission for the sake of freedom and country. Originally, each branch of the U.S. military (Army, Navy, etc.) had its own celebration day. Then on 31 August 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson created Armed Forces Day. On 20 February 1950, President Harry S Truman proclaimed it a permanent holiday, which was celebrated on May 20 that year.

Many other nations around the world hold an Armed Forces Day as well.

Answer: Buddha's Birthday

The days have been moved around a bit, but they have remained stable since 2007. Constitution Memorial Day on May 3 commemorates the Japan's 1947 Constitution and is a day to reflect on democracy and government. Greenery Day on May 4 is for honoring nature.

Children's Day on the May 5 used to be called Tango no Sekku, meaning the beginning of summer, and also called Boys' Day, while Girls' Day was on March 3. Now Girls' Day is Dolls' Day (for displaying dolls) and Boys' Day is Children's Day. Parents fly koinobori flags, which are shaped like carp: a black carp (Magoi) on top for the father, followed by a red carp (Higoi) for the mother, and then a carp for each child, with color and position indicating their ages. Rice cakes filled with jam and wrapped in oak leaves are eaten.

Buddha's Birthday is celebrated throughout most of East Asia according to the Chinese lunar calendar, on the 8th day of the 4th month, which means the date usually falls in May (e.g. the 6th in 2014). In Japan, however, Buddha's Birthday was fixed on April 8 of the Gregorian calendar in 1873, so it is NEVER a part of Golden Week. (U.S. Buddhists also have used April 8 since the 1960s). Japan's celebration is rather sedate and includes a flower festival. In Sri Lanka, however, people decorate homes and streets with candles and paper lanterns. Some shops serve free meals, as do some temples in Korea on Buddha's Birthday.

Answer: U.S. Civil War

The day was founded in 1868 as Decoration Day, and it was the day to decorate the graves of fallen Union and Confederate soldiers. (In the South, however, many states did not recognize Memorial Day for decades, and instead had their own Confederate Memorial Days.) The name gradually changed to "Memorial Day" by the end of World War II.

Traditional observances include lowering Old Glory (the U.S. flag) to half-staff until noon, holding parades with marching bands and military displays, and conducting memorial services in cemeteries and at monuments. Families often have picnics or barbecues. The federal government conducts the National Memorial Day concert on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol building. Many Americans consider Memorial Day to mark the beginning of summer.

Memorial Day was originally fixed on May 30, when flowers are in full bloom throughout much of the U.S.A. Exactly 100 years after the holiday's founding, in 1968, Congress moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. At first many states objected, but all eventually complied, including the Southern states. Many veterans' organizations, however, advocate returning the date to May 30 to make it less of a day of picnicking and more of a day of remembrance.