Gifting and otherwise utilizing lily-of-the-valley in French maying practices is accompanied by a variety of narratives, from the utmost in pithy to lengthy development of perhaps legendary accounts and on to official reports explicitly intended “to create social cohesion and connectedness”.
Paper long abstract
Gifting lily-of-the-valley in French May Day practices is accompanied by a variety of narratives, from pithy to lengthy development of perhaps legendary accounts, and it is important to bear witness to how people-in-the-street, as well as professional suppliers, talk about it. This can run from the most basic conversational remark, through video interviews, field work notes and quotes, and on to representations in diverse media. Giving the flower for May Day is the major custom in a broader spectrum of utilizing the plant in maying practices. Such practices may have to take into account the plant’s calendar rather than the Gregorian. This constraint emphasizes that some ritual events may be hard to carry off, if the major actor does not show up for the performance. These lily-of-the-valley customs partake in “creating social cohesion and connectedness”, even and at times specifically, a sense of identity.