May Day is one of our favorite days. For many years, we have participated in the old tradition of what my children call, “Basically ding-dong ditch.” Except that it’s a much more polite version, including treats! I love it because even our teenagers still want to participate and it’s really the one day a year that we bring our neighbors and friends treats. This year, I wasn’t sure what to do. With social distancing in place, I wasn’t sure what to include in our May baskets, so I took to Pinterest and I found…nothing! There are very few ideas there for what to include in May baskets!
FYI: Pinterest DOES have many ideas for packaging your treats–from cute baskets made out of paper plates, to recycled ice cream pails, I’m sure you can find a way to make it cute! (I often check stores for after Easter clearance baskets for this purpose.) Even a gift bag works just fine!
So, I wanted to give you a quick round-up of some of my favorite May basket ideas.
- Popcorn balls—This is quick, easy, and cheap! Last year, I pulled some giant coffee cans out of the school’s recycling bin. I added some silk flowers and a bow to each one and filled them with popcorn balls for those on our May Day list. They were a hit! The key is using this popcorn ball recipe: (These are tried and true—the best I’ve had!)
- Spring Chex Mix—This was a fun, springy treat to include in May baskets and we got some rave reviews on it. I will say that it took more effort—we do have a long list of May Day recipients—but this is a great one to make if you have only a few people you’re planning to ding-dong-ditch! Get the recipe here. Isn’t it pretty?
- Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies—This was our treat for this year. I made nine of these (and I wore gloves and a mask when making them). Cake circles are perfect for giving these on, but I wasn’t thinking that far in advance so ended up using tin-foil covered cardboard. It worked just fine. Add a cute tag (get the printable here) and you’ll have very happy neighbors! I’ve shared this recipe before, but I will share it again because it is so easy and so delicious!
- Rainbow Cake in a Jar—One year, I went all out and made rainbow cakes in jars. Our list was a little smaller then, but it was still a TON of work! I don’t recommend this unless baking is a hobby of yours, but if you’re like me and don’t particularly enjoy it—skip this one! Also, I recommend using half-pint jars or smaller for these—as anything larger gets to be too much cake! (Is that a thing?)
- Ingredients for “Dirt”—Our tradition is important, but there have been a few years that I just haven’t had the energy to “go all out.” One year, I included a package of gummy worms, Oreos and chocolate pudding in a basket. One of the families on our list usually reciprocates. That year, they delivered a basket with the components of s’mores in it. It was so cute!
My friend told me they hadn’t planned to do anything that year due to lack of planning, but once she saw how we just gave the ingredients, she was inspired to do something similar. Our kids loved the basket of s’mores!
Those are some of my favorite edible ideas for May baskets, but what happens when you have friends with food intolerances? I have one friend whose children cannot eat any type of treats due to food allergies, but because of this, they get left out of so many things. I definitely don’t want them to be left out on May Day.
Here are my Top Five Non-Edible Items to Include in May Baskets:
- Glow sticks—These are cheap and easy and kids love them! In the past, I have bought the thicker glow sticks and added a paper flower to them and the kids loved them!
- Squirt guns—Again, these are cheap and fun and a good reminder that summer is almost here! Many times, it is warm enough for the kids to go outside and use squirt guns that day for a little boost.
- Sidewalk Chalk—This is fun because it can be arranged to be very pretty and spring-like. It is colorful and something kids can do immediately to celebrate May Day.
- Homemade play-dough or Home-made puffy paint—Many kids don’t get play-dough very often. Using this recipe is particularly nice because it smells so good! You could do a cute rainbow of play-dough in all different scents and you will be an easy favorite! I love this recipe because it not only smells delightful, but it stays soft for a long time.
This is my favorite recipe for puffy paint. This is another thing that many kids don’t get to do very often. You can put this together with a fun, springy printable and it will be enjoyed by boys and girls alike!
- Flowers–I always forget about flowers because we’re so behind in our flower season here! This is a perfect neighbor gift, especially for an elderly neighbor. If you have some lilacs, or others in your garden, put some in a basket and ring the bell! Another idea is to buy starter flower plants, or even flower seeds is a sweet gesture!
Sometimes, it’s difficult to keep fresh ideas for May Day when it has become a tradition. You may need to recycle an old idea, but you’ve got at least five years worth of ideas here! And if the treat was good the first time around, your neighbors won’t mind getting it again! Maybe your neighbors won’t be able to chase your kids this year, but bringing over a treat will still brighten your neighbors’ day—and we all need a little day-brightening right now! Have fun with it! It might become a new tradition for you! Happy May Day!
