There was not a girl in the village who did not dream of a tree that night. In the morning, as soon as it dawned, the girls would run out of the house to see if there was a tree or not.
The next day, everyone was walking down the street, evaluating the tree and comparing it to others. They also tried to guess which of the boys brought it. Sometimes a girl didn’t know who brought the tree, she could only guess. This added to the intrigue and sparked curiosity.
During the Soviet era, the authorities banned Mayalish celebrations in every possible way. However, they promoted Mayivkas and forced everyone to attend demonstrations on the occasion of May Day, the Workers’ Solidarity Day. In the middle of the twentieth century, people in Storozhnytsia secretly held balls in their homes on the night of May 1. They went through the town one by one so that the authorities would not see them. Young people would gather at the balls, meet each other, have fun, rejoice that winter had finally receded and warmth had arrived, and dance.
There was another custom associated with the decorated tree: when people went to matchmaking (pitanky), they also carried mayalish.
The tradition of Mayalish in the village of Storozhnytsia has been passed down from generation to generation. In the past, mayalish was placed on young unmarried girls. Nowadays, homeowners themselves decorate their fences or yards with trees, regardless of whether they have daughters. In this way, they try to preserve the tradition.