If you’ve been waiting for the perfect excuse to step outside and bask in the sunshine, look no further — May 19 is May Ray Day, a day dedicated to enjoying the warm rays of the sun and all the fun that comes with it.
If you’re like us: You’re ready for this holiday. Winter’s been long and cold; and spring has been wet in many areas of the nation. We’re not alone in that yearning for the feeling of the sun on your skin; we found a set of stars who also seem to be observing this unique holiday — and basking in the May rays.
The history of May Ray Day
But first — here’s a little history of this unique holiday.
As you might be able to guess, May Ray Day is all about celebrating the arrival of warmer weather, longer days, and sunny skies. But in reality, the holiday was created in 1977 by Richard Ankli, a comedian from Michigan — who just wanted to honor his brother, Ray. Ray’s birthday was May 19, and so… May Ray Day began.
It started as a small observance in St. Joseph, the town where Richard and Ray lived, but eventually it evolved into a broader observance encouraging people to appreciate the sunny days of May. We’ve waited so long for them!
The holiday reminds us to step away from screens, take a break from our boring indoor routines, and soak up some much-needed vitamin D.
Celebs who’ve been celebrating May Ray Day perfectly
There are lots of ways to celebrate May Ray Day — from taking a walk through a local park to planning a picnic in your favorite green space. If you’re lucky enough to live near a beach, you should be there (no, really, why are you still reading this sentence?). If you need inspiration, here are a few celebs who we think have truly embraced the spirit of May Ray Day.
Pedro Pascal
No one had more fun on the Cannes red carpet this year than Pedro Pascal, who walked multiple times with costars Emma Watson and Austin Butler in support of ‘Eddington.’ But clearly everyone’s favorite was the Saturday appearance, during which the actor donned all black — featuring a tank that exposed his defined arms and a hint of torso. The appearance quickly went viral. By the end of the weekend, it was clear Pascal’s fans were grateful he chose to expose his arms to the May rays — they’ve now got their own dedicated fan club. Hopefully he’s also inspired a few of our readers to put on a tank, and start working on their tan.
Katherine Schwarzenegger
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A post shared by Katherine Schwarzenegger (@katherineschwarzenegger)
Another set of excellent ideas for how to celebrate May Ray Day comes from Katherine Schwarzenegger. The star shared a series of images on May 16 that showed her spending her May day perfectly: ‘riding, getting dirty & a little bit of gardening’ — we couldn’t agree more… in fact, we think we see a set of honeysuckle vines that need to be better trained. BRB.
Meghan Markle
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Meghan Markle has been busy on socials in May, giving followers not one but three snaps of her and Prince Harry’s children Archie and Lilibet. In each, they’re presumably enjoying the May rays (one is in black and white — so it’s hard to tell). Clearly, while she’s not busy on the next season of ‘With Love, Meghan,’ she’s been living the spirit of this special holiday. The photo she posted on May 6, of Archie watching the sunset (above), is our favorite.
Kylie Jenner
On May 18, Kylie Jenner posted a gallery of 10 sun-drenched snaps (captioned only ‘cosmic girl 💫”), and a pic of footprints on May 17… both of which we’re taking that to mean she was enjoying the May rays. Kylie clearly listened to our instructions — she’s near a beach, and she’s enjoying it. Bravo, and take notes everyone else.
We’ll catch you tomorrow for a closer look at another one of the month’s unique holidays!
