Flores de Mayo is a low-key celebration which takes place throughout the month of May. Essentially, small girls present flowers in honor of the Virgin Mary at their local church. This goes on every afternoon throughout the whole month of May, and in the vicinity of Catholic churches you will see mothers and nannies escorting tiny individuals all dressed in pure white satin.
While religious and spiritual at heart, Flores de Mayo is also to a large extent a chance for parents to turn their little girls as angels, replete with wings, and parade them in front of their neighbors and acquaintances. This would be a horribly cheesy affair were it not for the fact that it works: the little girls do look unbearably cute and angelic, to the extent that they are forgiven for spending the entire Mass fiddling with their floral offerings.
The flowers offered are often either white or pink plumeria - called kalachuchi - which produce an unceasing supply of fragrant blossoms. As is the case with all festivals and celebrations in the Philippines, these flowers can be purchased from enterprising individuals outside the church entrance.
