Beltane Celebrations
May trees, flower garlands and bathing in dew
Hello,
May is such a lovely month, full of optimism, warmth and light as the sun builds up its strength and we head towards the longest day of the year. In the hedgerows the Hawthorn (May blossom) should be in full bloom by now, although a cold Spring has delayed it a little bit this year. But despite the lack of sunshine, the rest of the natural world is still unfolding right on track. In an overgrown corner of my garden the first clutch of tiny baby robins have just fledged from their nest; a true sign of the season.
May 1st has been a time for celebration by many different cultures and modern May Day celebrations tend to be a melting pot of traditions from various cultures, with the ancient Celtic seasonal festival of Beltane playing a large influence.
In this newsletter we’ll look at the origins of Beltane, dip into some of the folklore that surrounds this early summer festival then explore how to celebrate Beltane in your own home this May Day.
Image: Rowan and Wren
What is Beltane?
Beltane is an ancient Celtic seasonal festival that falls on May 1st and celebrates the start of Summer. It marks the midway point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice and it’s a time to celebrate awakening, fertility, growth and the light half of the year. It is one of the four ancient Celtic festivals that were used to mark the start of the four seasons, the others being Imbolc (Spring), Lughnasadh (Autumn) and Samhain (Winter).
Beltane Folklore
The word Beltane is thought to mean ‘bright fire’ and the name is also used to refer to the month of May in the Irish language. Traditionally celebrated on the eve of April 30th into the morning of May 1st, Beltaine marked the beginning of summer and the light half of the year. This festival was agricultural in origin, so this was when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures, in a reversal of when they were brought down for the winter at Samhain six months previously.
Bonfires formed a central part of Beltaine festivities, and communities often gathered around communal bonfires to mark the occasion. The smoke from such fires was thought to have cleansing and protective powers, particularly if herbs were added to the flames, so cattle were driven close to the fires, and people jumped over them to ask for good luck and prosperity in the months ahead.
May trees were decorated outside homes, thresholds were decked in yellow flowers and the dew of May Day morning was thought to have restorative and beautifying powers. It was seen as a time of awakening and a chance to celebrate the fertility of the land, and look ahead to the warm summer months.
As with all Celtic festivals though, you’d have to have your wits about you, as at this time fairies, or spirits were said to be active and could play mischievous tricks on unsuspecting villagers, which is why many of the traditions, like the fire, have a protective element to them. And while Hawthorn was closely linked to this festival, and was used to make garlands and May crowns, according to folklore it must never be taken indoors, as this could bring terrible bad luck. So don’t be tempted to bring a vase of it indoors!
How to celebrate it at home
This lovely early summer festival is all about colour and life so it’s a wonderful excuse to fill your home with all the early summer flowers and greenery and to celebrate the start of the growing season.
If the festival of Imbolc in February was all about purifying, cleaning and resetting the home, then Beltane is all about decorating it and filling it with joy and life. Here are a few ways to bring some Beltane rituals into your home this May.
1. Light a Beltane candle
Traditionally fires were lit on the evening before the 1st May as an act of protection, as after the dark half of the year it was believed that a fire could revitalise and re-energise as well as bring good fortune in the important growing months of the calendar. The growth of this years crops will depend on the sun in the coming months, so fires and candles boost and celebrate the sun’s power in anticipation of a good year.
To celebrate this at home, light a candle on the eve of Beltane (April 30th) and as you focus on the light, celebrate the energy, warmth and potential of the light half of the year that we are about to enter.
2. Dress thresholds with yellow flowers
Decorating front doors and thresholds with flowers is an ancient Beltane tradition that can still be seen in many modern May Day practices. Traditionally yellow flowers would be used, possibly as a way to represent fire which is linked to this festival. Rowan, gorse, hazel and marsh marigold were some of the traditional flowers that were gathered and placed around windows and doorways on the eve of Beltane. As well as making homes look beautiful and festive, this was also used as a means of protection against any wayward spirits or fairies that might be out and about.
Hawthorn blossom, or May blossom, which is usually in full flower at this time of year, was also often used to decorate the outside of homes, but it might be a bit trickier to get hold of this year thanks to the really cold spring were all having.
3. Decorate a May Tree
One of my favourite Beltane traditions is that of the May tree or May bush which was placed outside the home and decorated with colourful ribbons and small decorations. These trees were also sometimes called wishing trees; it was customary to make a wish for the year ahead as the ribbons and decorations were tied on to the branches. Hawthorn trees are traditionally used for this, and Hawthorn trees growing next to holy wells were considered particularly powerful and sacred, with the ribbons or strips of cloth being dipped into the water before being tied onto the tree.
Decorating a living tree in this way is a lovely, colourful way to honour the season and it’s also a nice nod to the tree-decorating rituals of Midwinter. To adapt this ritual for the home, you could choose a living tree or shrub in your garden and tie on anything you like that signifies a bright new start. You could use colourful ribbons, shells, scraps of fabric, dried or fresh flowers or feathers. (Obviously, choose items that are local to where you live and make sure they are biodegradable and safe for any wildlife.)
Alternatively if you don’t have an outdoor space for this you could use an indoor potted plant instead, or place a few branches in a vase to create an indoor May tree. This year I cut some Hazel branches from the garden and my son helped to arrange them in a jug before tying on colourful ribbons and making his wishes of the year ahead (He’s two, so he asked for an orange and a tea towel.. I think he was just naming things he could see in the kitchen!)
As you tie your decorations to the tree, take a moment to make a wish for the new season and give thanks for everything you already have in your life, or make a wish for something you’d like to bring into your life (such as a tea towel!)
This is a great activity to do with children; I let mine have full artistic control of this one and as a result it was gloriously haphazard, but it’s full of colour and life and wishes, so I haven’t ‘fixed’ any of the ribbons added by my son, who is very proud of it.
4. Wash your face in dew
Many Celtic seasonal rituals involve water as this was believed to be a sacred gift from nature and Beltane is no exception to this. According to folklore, rising early to greet the rising sun on this day and bathing your face with dew on the morning of Beltane was thought to bring beauty and good health for the year ahead.
It does mean an early start, but it’s a good excuse to spend a quiet moment outside at the start of the day, watching the first rays of the sun warming up the earth and enjoying the peace and quiet of a new day.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and do let me know if you try any of these rituals (or others) this May Day. Just hit the Comment button below.
Want to know more about the Wheel of the Year? Take a look at my quick guide below:
Wishing you a happy, joyful and peaceful Beltane!
Vicky x
Cor lovely May - I have high expectations this year after this cold grey seasonal start to Spring. 💚
Bookmarking for next year! 💛