May Days

May Day was always a bit of a non event when I was a child. I am sure I can recollect my parents taking me to a small Surrey village to watch some Maypole dancing one year, but that is about the extent of my May Day memories.
Until of course I hit 16 and the dreaded exam season became part of my life.
May Day was then reduced to a day off school whereby I could revise.
May made me sick, it signified exams for me for the next five years.
I hated exams with a passion and panicked terribly.
Needless to say, when I left University I did not voluntarily put myself in that position for a very long time again.
Now my children are there too.
With one exception, they are all very laid back about the whole process.
So much so, they all went out for May Day.

We are very fortunate where we live, as over the May Bank Holiday , there are two large events that take place.
From Saturday through to Monday, Llandudno host to The Victorian Extravaganza. A wonderful event (unless you need to get to work or drive anywhere within the vicinity that is). The streets are shut off and turned into fairgrounds and stalls. People dress up in Victorian clothes and wander around and old buses, cars and steam engines drive up and down the streets as well. You can easily spend all day looking around ( as well as spending a vast amount of money as well).

We give the children a specific amount. The older ones are allowed to top this up with their own earnings if they so choose, the little ones have to learn to manage the money and make choices. When It's gone, it's gone. On Monday, Mair did not quite grasp this principal!
The other event is Prom Day, where our Prom in Rhos on Sea is again transformed into a fair ground right the way along from Rhos to Colwyn Bay. It is a great day IF the weather holds! Yesterday was wet, windy and cold, so we chose to go inland to Llandudno, rather than spend yet another year being blown to death, wet and frozen! The twins both have colds (once again) so I just took the children whilst they were asleep. Simon, choose willingly to stay!
I am not a lover of the fair, however as it only comes here once a year, we save up so that the children can enjoy themselves each year. All their friends come along, so its great for them to meet them on rides and have a chat. The older ones meet their friends there, or have friends come over for the day.

As we live five minutes from the beach, we become the toilet refuge, hot drinks, machine, and warm up stop before they go back again into the cold.
Now May Days are memorable. The children love and look forward to them each year, and we are grateful that so much activity goes on in our quiet little part of the world.