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May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days.

May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the United States (Memorial Day) and Canada (Victoria Day) that ends on Labor Day, the first Monday of September.

May (in Latin, Maius) was named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores, Latin for "elders", and that the following month (June) is named for the iuniores, or "young people" (Fasti VI.88).

Eta Aquariids meteor shower appears in May. It is visible from about April 23 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6. The Arietids shower from May 22 to July 2, and peaks on June 7. The Virginids also shower at various dates in May.

Ancient Roman observances

Under the calendar of ancient Rome, the festival of Bona Dea fell on May 1, Argei fell on May 14 or May 15, Agonalia fell on May 21, and Ambarvalia on May 29. Floralia was held April 27 during the Republican era, or April 28 on the Julian calendar, and lasted until May 3. Lemuria fell on 9,11, and 13 May under the Julian calendar. The College of Aesculapius and Hygia celebrated two festivals of Rosalia, one on May 11 and one on May 22. Rosalia was also celebrated at Pergamon on May 24–26. A military Rosalia festival, Rosaliae signorum, also occurred on May 31. Ludi Fabarici was celebrated May 29 – June 1. Mercury would receive a sacrifice on the Ides of May (May 15). Tubilustrium took place on May 23 as well as in March. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.

Symbols

May's birthstone is the emerald, which is emblematic of love and success. Birth flowers are the Lily of the Valley and Crataegus monogyna. Both are native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and in the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States, but have been naturalized throughout the temperate climatic world.

The "Mayflower" Epigaea repens is a North American harbinger of May, and the floral emblem of both Nova Scotia and Massachusetts. Its native range extends from Newfoundland south to Florida, west to Kentucky in the southern range, and to Northwest Territories in the north. The zodiac signs are Taurus (until May 20) and Gemini (May 21 onward).

Better Hearing and Speech Month

In Catholic tradition, May is the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary. See May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Flores de Mayo (Philippines)

Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome Awareness month

Garden for Wildlife month

Huntington's Disease Awareness Month (International)

International Mediterranean Diet Month

Kaamatan harvest festival (Labuan, Sabah)

New Zealand Music Month (New Zealand)

National Pet Month (United Kingdom)

National Smile Month (United Kingdom)

Season of Emancipation (April 14 to August 23) (Barbados)

Skin Cancer Awareness Month

South Asian Heritage Month (International)

United States

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

National Burger Month

Community Action Awareness Month (North Dakota)

Non-Gregorian

(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)

List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar

List of observances set by the Chinese calendar

List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar

List of observances set by the Islamic calendar

List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar

Movable

Phi Ta Khon (Dan Sai, Loei province, Isan, Thailand) Dates are selected by village mediums and can take place anywhere between March and July.

National Small Business Week (United States): May 5–11

National Hurricane Preparedness Week (United States): May 5–11

New Zealand Sign Language Week: May 6–12

Green Office Week (Britain, United States): May 13–17

Walk Safely to School Day (Australia): May 17

Emergency Medical Services Week (United States): May 19–25

Bike to Work Week Victoria (May 27 – June 2)

Western Christian

Special devotions to the Virgin Mary take place in May. See May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Labour Day: May 1

International Workers' Day

Sunday after Divine Mercy Sunday: May 5

Jubilate Sunday

Monday and Tuesday in the week following the third Sunday of Easter: May 6–7

Hocktide (England)

Fourth Sunday after Easter: May 12

Good Shepherd Sunday

Fourth Friday after Easter: May 17

Store Bededag (Denmark)

Third Sunday of May: May 19

Feast of Our Lady of the Audience

Sunday preceding the Rogation days: May 26

Rogation Sunday

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday preceding Feast of the Ascension: May 27–29

Minor Rogation days

39 days after Easter: May 30

Feast of the Ascension

Father's Day (Germany)

Festa della Sensa (Venice)

Global Day of Prayer

Sheep Festival (Cameroon)

Eastern Christian

Wednesday after Pascha: May 1

Bright Wednesday

Thursday after Pascha: May 2

Bright Thursday

Friday after Pascha: May 3

Bright Friday

Saturday after Pascha: May 4

Bright Saturday

8th day after Pascha: May 5

Thomas Sunday

2nd Tuesday of Pascha, or 2nd Monday of Pascha, depending on region: May 6 or May 7

Radonitsa (Russian Orthodox)

2nd Sunday following Pascha: May 12

Sunday of the Myrrhbearers

4th Sunday of Pascha: May 26

Sunday of the Paralytic

Wednesday after the Sunday of the Paralytic: May 29

Movable civic

Last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May

National Arbour Week (Ontario, Canada)

First Thursday

Arbour Day (Nova Scotia, Canada)

National Day of Prayer (United States)

National Day of Reason (United States)

Free Comic Book Day

Green Up Day (Vermont, United States)

First Sunday

Mother's Day (Angola, Cape Verde, Hungary, Lithuania, Mozambique, Portugal, Spain)

World Laughter Day

Children's Day (South Korea)

First full week

National Teacher Appreciation Week (United States)

North American Occupational Safety and Health Week

Tuesday of First full week

National Teacher Appreciation Day (United States)

Wednesday of first full week

Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day

Second week in May

National Stuttering Awareness Week (United States)

World Asthma Day

Friday preceding Second Sunday in May

Military Spouse Day (United States)

National Public Gardens Day (United States)

Saturday closest to May 10

National Train Day (United States)

Second Saturday

International Migratory Bird Day (Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean)

National Tree Planting Day (Mongolia)

Second Weekend

National Mills Weekend (United Kingdom)

Second Sunday

National Nursing Home Week (United States)

Children's Day (Spain)

Father's Day (Romania)

Mother's Day (Anguilla, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Croatia, Curaçao, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zimbabwe)

State Flag and State Emblem Day (Belarus)

Week of May 12

National Nursing Week (United States)

Third Weekend, including Friday

Sanja Matsuri (Tokyo, Japan)

Third Friday

Arbour Day (Prince Edward Island, Canada)

National Defense Transportation Day

Endangered Species Day (United States)

National Pizza…