May is always eagerly anticipated in Maine, and not just because it’s the easiest month to spell. It’s when trees bud and flowers bloom.

Usually.

It’s when snow shovels can be safely stowed away in the basement, garage or some similar out-of-the-way place.

Often.

It’s when cyclists can go out for long rides without wearing a ski mask, or worrying about too much sand along the side of the road.

Sometimes.

It’s when it’s no longer necessary for Little League parents to dress their progeny up like pint-sized Michelin men in order to withstand six excruciating innings of baseball.

Occasionally.

And by May’s end, Mainers can catch a glimpse of the approach of summer.

If they possess vivid imaginations.

And they’re wearing rose-tinted spectacles.

And the stars align perfectly.

Maybe.

But the best thing about the Gregorian calendar’s fifth month is that it’s positively fraught with holidays. May 1 is May Day; duh! Cinco de Mayo falls annually on the fifth, which is equally obvious to all (both) of Maine’s Spanishspeakers. Mother’s Day is always the second Sunday of the month, and Memorial Day, which comes with its very own three-day weekend attached, falls annually on May’s final Monday.

But those are just the tip of the iceberg. According to www.holidayinsights.com, May contains nearly seven dozen separate holidays, including at least one for every day of the month. More than a few of these observances seem unique, or even a bit bizarre. However, that’s perfectly okay: the “Holiday Insights” website lists the 80 specific “holidays” on a page headed with the words, “May, 2016 Bizarre and Unique Holidays.”

The busiest day this month for “holidays” has no fewer than seven of them this year. May 6 is annually Beverage Day, National Tourist Appreciation Day, National Nurses Day, and International No Diet Day! But this year it’s also host to International Tuba Day (the first Friday of every May); Space Day (also May’s first Friday); and Military Spouses Day (the Friday before Mother’s Day each year).

However, not every 24-hour period in May is as full of potential celebration as the sixth. Pity the eight poor dates with a mere one holiday. These include the 10th, (Clean up your room Day), the 17th (Pack Rat Day), the 19th (Boys Club and Girls Club Day), the 23rd (Lucky Penny Day), the 26th (Sally Ride Day), the 27th (Sun Screen Day), and the 29th (Learn about Composting Day). But the single most unfortunate May date on this year’s calendar is the ninth. It’s bad enough meriting just a single paltry holiday, but when that one designation is “Lost Sock Day,” well, it’s enough to make a grown date cry, no matter how many socks he, she, or it has lost.

But too many spurious “holiday” festivities can spoil the novelty which makes special occasions special, so discerning individuals recommend limiting formal observances to one per week. However, rounding up and adding an extra one in May is perfectly reasonable, given that the month’s 31 days contain 42.9 percent of a fifth week. Besides, it’s tough limiting one’s monthly celebrations to five once you’ve been made aware of all the possibilities.

The best holidays to share with friends and neighbors this month are:

1) Eat What You Want Day (May 11) This one is pretty self-explanatory, although the thoughtful folks at holidayinsights.com do not recommend people with allergies and/or medical conditions participate fully in this special day.

2) Teachers Day (May 3) A great many of my friends are English teachers. At one time I wondered why that was the case. Then I remembered: I are one too.

3) Victoria Day (May 24) Technically a Canadian Holiday, but the folks to our north are awfully good neighbors. And besides, we’d be well advised to stay on their collective good side, just so they don’t get too angry when we start flooding over their border the day after President Trump’s inauguration.

4) Pick Strawberries Day (May 20) The date of this holiday was clearly chosen by farmers who cultivate strawberries significantly south of Maine. The idea is sound, but the date is a bit premature for Pine Tree Staters.

5) Mother’s Day (May 8) At least half the people reading this essay are mothers or potential mothers. I may not be the smartest, kindest, handsomest, or most insightful person to ever have his columns published in the newspaper, but I’m not the dumbest, either.

Hopefully.

— Andy Young just put his snow shovels in the shed for the season, and he’s happy with his decision to do so. For the most part.