Actually if you think about it, the Christians adopted many pagan holidays, giving them a Christian meaning (assigning Christ's birthday in December, for example, on the date of the Saturnalia). That's like switching a song. I think it was a very shrewd, as well as kind, move. It was like saying, "just because you become a Christian doesn't mean you have to give up having fun on the same day." It was a big vote for festivals and goofing off and having fun.

(I've been reading in a book about the ancient, ancient origins of Maying -- going back probably BEFORE the Greeks and Romans. Each subsequent religion puts its own shine on it, but everyone of them allowed for maying. Until "Secularism" (if you will) came along and wiped it out nearly completely. If it is done any more, it is very self-conciously a re-creation. Sad.)

Alex