My current—and likely final—book project is about Maypole traditions and related customs. These are found in various forms in many countries around the world. Just for those who’ve never heard of them… A Maypole is a stripped tree trunk decorated with wreaths and ribbons, which is often erected on the night or morning of May 1. It symbolizes spring, fertility, and community, but there is even more symbolism associated with the Maypole. Since spring doesn’t fall in the same months everywhere in the world—for example… spring in Australia begins in September and ends in November. Nevertheless, the name “Maypole” is still used almost everywhere.
The tradition also includes celebrations featuring parades, dancing, music, food, drinks, and so on. There are also similar traditions where similar tree trunks or poles serve as the centerpiece of the festivities.
That’s all for these few informative lines on the subject.
As I write this blog post, the book is still several months away from publication. It is scheduled to be published (once again) in three languages—German, English, and Dutch—and will be a richly illustrated book containing over 300 pages. To achieve this, I have to work on it for several hours every day.
As is clear from my previous blog post, researching and writing for book projects is no longer an “addiction” or passion, as it was for many years in the past. Therefore, the Maibaum book will most likely be my last book project. But shorter projects—researching specific topics and then writing an article about them—are still on my to-do list. The articles will then be published here on my website.
