When I was a little girl (eons ago) at school we would dance round the Maypole and the nature of the dance would weave the ribbons round the pole in pretty patterns. We would have a Queen of the May and she would wear a long dress and a long train with flowers in her hair. As far as us little ones were concerned it was a lovely different school day!!
Over here 1st May was always looked upon as the first day of Spring.
Years ago - yes before I was born!! - young girls would go out at dawn on May Day and wash their face in the morning dew - if I remember history lessons properly, this was supposed to make them attractive to members of the opposite sex!
Young people would go out into the forests collecting boughs of young green trees - this was called 'Maying' then the whole day turned into a sort of village picnic and celebration. The young people would drift back into the woods and forests..............
Lots of babies were born in February!!!
And like Sweden early celebrations were Pagan - a sense that winter was over and the land was warming again as the sun rose higher.
Sorry I've gone on a bit!!

Lynne