Protomagia

The 1^st of May is a very meaningful holiday in Greece and is celebrated all over the country. The Greek name for this special day is “Protomagia” (with the emphasis on the last “a”) which means as much as “First May”.

The 1^st of May is also known as “Labour Day” or the “International Workers’ Day” and it usually celebrates the achievements that were made by a strike of workers worldwide in the year 1886.

In Greece although this day is primarily welcoming the spring, the nature and the flowers. The origin of this celebration in Greece actually dates back to Ancient Greece and some say it demonstrates the victory of summer against winter.

There are many different festivities held all across the country which celebrate “Protomagia”. One of them is to go into the nature and to pick some flowers. These flowers are then used to make beautiful flower wreaths which are then hung up above the entrances of many houses to welcome the spring.