http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day Shop open 1 may.......  Satanism....Sexual....whatever...the fact is that on the 1st May, wherever it's celebrated as May Day or Labour Day, 'Fete du Travaille'.....or whatever - it's one day that most people do not work on!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_France   Here in France where holidays are quite plentiful, but rarely respected (ie the Shops are almost always open) this day is one of the few that allow the shops to close at Midday, but not all of them! One of the French traditions was, and still is, a 'Muguet'.......... ' France [ edit ] On May 1, 1561, King   Charles IX of France   received a   lily of the valley   as a lucky charm. He decided to offer a   lily of the valley   each year to the ladies of the court. At the beginning of the 20th century, it became custom to give a sprig of lily of the valley, a symbol of springtime, on May 1. The government permits individual...