For the First of May: Marian May Baskets

Last Spring, with only a day's notice, I learned that the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Guadalupe would be coming to our home. With very few flowers blooming in the yard, I wondered how the children and their friends would welcome Our Lady on such short notice. It had been on my mind to revisit our original Marian May Baskets craft from the preceding year, this time re-inventing the idea with pretty paper cones and ribbon for the first of May. Happily, these simple cones were perfect for crafting with a crowd, and our guests were able to take them home afterward to give as May Day gifts.

Please take a look at this hastily prepared--but very well received--Marian activity:

First Communion-themed basket.

Two unfinished samples wait to be filled and hung on the front door of a loved one.

This Irish-themed basket, with a turf Madonna fringe of moss.

We started with patterned collage paper from the scrapbooking aisle (rectangular works best--one package makes twenty):

These were formed into cones with hot glue with two holes punched on each side for ribbon:

The pastel, blue, and lavender patterns on our collage paper were just perfect. If you are crafting with a crowd of children, it helps to fashion the cones in advance. (Hot glue and crowds of children do not mix!)

The cones store inside one another for easy transfer.

As a central element of each basket, I gave each child a small floral notecard to create a spiritual bouquet, encouraging them to write down prayers they will say for the recipients of their baskets.

The children hung their baskets in the shrubs surrounding the image, making April bloom like May!

The cones were such a happy sight, offering a festive atmosphere of love and welcome.

May God bless you and your families this Easter season, especially as you prepare to celebrate May, the sweet month of Our Lady!

 

Alice Gunther is an attorney who gave up practicing law over a dozen years ago to nurture and home educate her seven children, now ages thirteen to one. She blogs about Catholic family life at her weblog, Cottage Blessings, and writes a column for The Long Island Catholic called “The Catholic Home.” For the past nine years, Alice has run a popular Catholic Children’s Club, celebrating the Liturgical year through crafts, prayer, stories of saints and scripture, and “Liturgical Teas.” The Teas feature symbolic menu offerings to tell the underlying stories of faith, teaching children and adults in a unique and memorable way. She is currently working on two books about home education and catechesis.