In many countries, the first day of May, May Day, is celebrated to welcome spring. Children in Great Britain and the United States sometimes participate by dancing around a maypole.

Dancing around a maypole can be traced to ancient Rome. Romans used to do this at a festival in the spring to honor their goddess of flowers, Flora. They danced around the pine tree, which they held sacred. When Romans conquered England, the pine tree became the maypole.

On May Day in England, the pole was set on the village green and adorned with ribbons and flowers. Villagers would pick a May Queen and crown her with a wreath of flowers. Then the villagers would dance around the maypole, holding the ends of ribbons that hung down from the top the pole. As they danced, they would weave the ribbons around the maypole.

At one time, some English believed that the villagers worshipped the maypole, so they banned it by law. Later it reappeared and children in England still sing and dance around the maypole.