| Beltane April 30th/May 1st | ||
| SYMBOLS Maypole, DECORATIONS Maypole, Flowers, Ribbons |
May day has for a
long time been marked with feasts and rituals. The old Celtic name for May Day is Beltane (derived from Irish Gaelic
"Bealtaine" or the Scottish Gaelic "Bealtuinn", meaning
"Bel-fire", the fire of the Celtic god of light (Bel, Beli or Belinus).At Beltane, fertility, birth and the
blossoming of life is celebrated. Beltane bonfires were believed to
bring fertility to crops, homes and livestock, Druids lit need-fires on hilltops for
healing, Cattle were driven between two such fires for protection against illness. People rose at dawn to gather flowers and green
branches to decorate the maypoles. Beltane marks the return of vitality, of passion and of
hopes
Mayday celebrations still happen all over England
and you can often see Morris dancers, sword dancers and maybe even a maypole and the
crowning of the may queen. |