1 May is Labour Day in Ukraine: celebrations, traditions and taboos

Labour Day is celebrated in Ukraine on 1 May.

It is a national public holiday associated with the protection of workers’ rights and the improvement of working conditions.

Under Ukrainian law, Labour Day is a public holiday.

However, this rule does not apply during martial law, so 1 May 2026 is a normal working day.

International Labour Day is also celebrated around the world on 1 May.

This holiday is observed in over 140 countries.

In various countries, peaceful demonstrations, parades, celebrations, fairs and festivals are held on this day.

Apart from Labour Day, 1 May has other international occasions for celebration.

These include Love Day, Sunflower Day, Rhino Rescue Day, Headteacher’s Day, Postage Stamp Day, Poodle Day, Mother Goose Day and Spring Birdwatching Day.

According to the New Julian Church Calendar, Orthodox Christians honour the prophet Jeremiah and Metropolitan Macarius of Kyiv on 1 May.

People pray to these saints for protection from ill-wishers, envious people and wrongdoers.

They are also asked for help with gardening and a good harvest.

In 2023, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine switched from the Julian calendar, which lags 13 days behind the modern calendar.

According to the old calendar, 1 May was dedicated to Cosmas of Chalcedon and John of Thessaloniki.

In folk tradition, the beginning of May was associated with the active reawakening of nature.

At this time, trees are covered in fresh greenery, berry bushes are in bloom, and swallows return.

According to folk signs, if the beginning of May is warm, the end of the month will be cool.

If the sky was overcast, people expected prolonged rain.

Night frosts were considered a bad omen for the fruit harvest.

And if the weather turned bad on 1 May, this was linked to a harsh winter ahead.

In ancient times, this day was considered favourable for working in the garden and vegetable patch.

People planted tree saplings and transplanted seedlings from containers into open ground.

It was believed that plants planted on 1 May took root well.

If the weather prevented work in the garden, people would tidy the house and put away their warm winter clothes.

At the same time, there are folk taboos associated with this day.

On 1 May, it was advised not to be sad or dwell on negative thoughts, so as not to invite misfortune into one’s life.

It was also not recommended to go fishing, as it was believed that there would be no catch.

Another folk taboo concerns bread.

On this day, it was advised not to lend bread even to close relatives, as it was believed that one might give away one’s own well-being along with it.

As reported by ThePublic, Ukraine has risen seven places in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index.

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