May, the fifth month in the Gregorian and Julian calendars, is named after the Greek goddess Maia. It was the third month in the Roman calendar and has 31 days. The full moon in May, often called the Flower Moon, coincides with blooming flowers.

May is associated with spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. As a bridge between spring and summer, it has varying hot and cold days by location. The saying “Warm January, cool May” is sometimes true. In the past, homes were sealed for winter, but in May, windows were opened to let in warm spring air. Spring cleaning remains a tradition to freshen homes after winter. In *The Beverly Hillbillies*, Granny cleaned the mansion thoroughly, placing items outside.

Spring is when plants start growing, and many festivals celebrate this season. Ancient Romans held several in May, and many Europeans still do. Late May often marks the start of summer. May’s symbols are the emerald (birthstone), lily of the valley, and hawthorn (birth flowers).

For more information

Catherine Boeckmann, “The Month of May 2025: Holidays, Fun Facts, Folklore,” Almanac.Com, last modified April 23, 2025, https://www.almanac.com/content/month-may-holidays-fun-facts-folklore.

“The Month of May,” https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/months/may.html.

Wikipedia contributors, “May,” Wikipedia, last modified April 21, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May.