Culture

1st May -- May Day? Naaah.... Its Czech National "Love Day"!!!

by Samir Joshi | April 30, 2009 at 09:54 am

907 views | 44 Recommendations | 10 comments

The first thing that strikes the mind when one hears about 1st May is.... May Day!

May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labor Day, which celebrates the social and economic achievements of the labor movement.

However, One fact that not many people apart from the Czechs know about 1st May is that it is Czech National "Love Day". Yeah... you heard it right! National Love Day!

On this day couples tend to flock to the memorial of the poet Karel Hynek Mácha in Prague and kiss.

Lovely!

Where for some May 1st represents the true and only Love Day, for others it commemorates the historic achievements of the Labor movement in the world. And some people recall the not long gone communist era in the Czech Republic. Why?

The celebrations of May 1st are in many people’s mind connected with the huge celebrations during the communist regime. For over forty years, there were float parades in all big cities in the back then Czechoslovakia. The biggest parade was, of course, in Prague, to be more precise, in Letna Plain, Prague 7.

The participation on those massive communist manifestations celebrating the Labor Day was mandatory. People had to go if they didn’t want to have troubles. And so the big plain in Letna witnessed every year on May 1st the same scenario – thousands of people waving little Czechoslovak and Soviet flags at the communists party officials who were seated on a tribune decorated in red, with huge pictures of Marxist leaders and signs “With Soviet Union Forever”. For everyone this was a waste of time.

Thanks God this era is gone and people in Prague don’t have to go to Letna on May 1st and pretend enthusiasm. They can do whatever they want. No wonder that people in Czech Republic prefer to celebrate the Love Day rather than Labor Day on May 1st. The Labor Day brings bitter memories.

But it is not true that there are no demonstrations at Letna on May 1st since the fall of communism. Last year there was a great anti-communist demonstration. It is easy to see why it was there and at that time.

To add to it 1st May is also elebrated as ’Global Love Day’. This is because it was in 2004 that Love Foundation came into existence that began to celebrate the day.

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albertacowpoke

at 10:20 on April 30th, 2009

What a great idea. Whoo hoo

Amy Judd

at 10:34 on April 30th, 2009

I had no idea it was National Love Day there! :)

Samir Joshi

at 10:42 on April 30th, 2009

Even I did not have have an idea until yesterday...

The more you surf... The more you know.. :)

Paschen

at 16:14 on April 30th, 2009

I was changed after the split of Czechoslovakia in protest to the past Soviet dominance.

However the first of May is not internationally celebrated, in North America in it is not commemorated either nor is it in Japan.

israeli.agent

at 16:26 on April 30th, 2009

Does this mean Czechs need to do hard labor to achieve love or love brings them more labor...lol..! (Heck..no offence, pretty please..just kidding)

Nice story , Samir..:-)

.Agent.

Samir Joshi

at 20:55 on April 30th, 2009

Well, I'd rather see it as labor being rewarded with love!

Nice way to commemorate love though!

Thanks for reading and commenting on it mate!

huneds

at 21:24 on April 30th, 2009

Nice Story indeed mate!

Keep up the good work!

Samir Joshi

at 21:49 on April 30th, 2009

Yeah..! Thanks mate!

I've received lots of messages praising me for this story....

Everyone here is very generous!

Lisa Kaye (not verified)

at 03:48 on May 1st, 2009

When I was a child my grandma would help us make baskets,and pick flowers to fill the baskets. We would sneek to loved ones houses (grandmas friends) lol.We would then put the flowers on the step, knock and run to hide.Then watch their surprised faces as they tried to determine who left them. Grandma said this is what she did on May Day as a child in the Czech Republic.Her friends always knew who was behind it... I am taking my neice today on her first "flower, hide and seek" May Day Celebration, she is 4 and I want her to know some of the ways of the Old Country (as grandma called it). Happy May Day, may your be filled with Love from Tampa, Florida