First of May

1st of May is known as the International Worker’s day in Slovakia. In former Czechoslovakia we have used to celebrate this day since 1919. It is a day of public holiday, so the schools, offices and shops are closed. Now we take this date just as a day off. But at the time when our parents were kids it was completely different.

First of May was full of celebration. Everyone had to go out and celebrate. People were walking in parades through towns and cities. Students in typical uniforms, they used to wear during totality regime of that time, were walking in a perfect crowd, holding banners, waving and screaming “Let the first May live”. Everything was perfectly prepared at schools before the celebration – the parade took place.

Adults had to celebrate too. Each company and firm had to have own allegorical car. All the windows had to be decorated with the state flags of ČSSR and ZSSR (the former Czechoslovakia and Russia).

When the parade walked through the main streets of towns it was time to feast. Goulash (a tasty soup with meat, potatoes, tomatoes, paprika), spišské sausages (specific spicy sausages), beer, limonade and having fun with fiends at the square is still in minds of our parents and our grandparents. And some of them wish this celebration would come to live again.