"Bealtaine" is the Irish spelling and is pronounced as "byal-tin-ah".
"Beltane" is the Anglicised and is pronounced phonetically.
When is Bealtaine? 30th of April to the 1st of May.
What is Bealtaine? It is a Celtic fire and fertility festival that is also known as “May Day”, “Samradh”, and “May Eve”. It marks the coming of Summer.
Traditionally, jumping over a balefire during this festival is said to ensure protection over the forthcoming year - this may be where the “naked-pagans-jumping-bonfires” stereotype comes from.
Bealtaine is opposite Samhain in the Wheel of the Year, and just as they are opposed in position, they are opposed in celebration. Samhain is a festival that in many ways, celebrates death, whereas Beltane is a celebration of life.
• BEALTAINE CORRESPONDENCES •
There are many traditional activities associated with Bealtaine, such as bonfires, Maypoles and feasts, but if we’re going to be realistic, many of us can’t weave flowers into our hair and raise a Maypole in our village square.
Here’s some correspondences and associations that we can realistically work with:
Seasonal spring vegetables, such as cabbage, asparagus, radishes, onions, and potatoes (UK).
Sweets, such as chocolate, pastries and honey.
Spiced foods, such as ginger and peppers, incorporate the fire element of the festival into celebrations.
Aphrodisiacs, such as oysters, asparagus, nutmeg, and vanilla, incorporate the sensuality and fertility aspect of the festival.
Maybowl (a.k.a., May Wine), is a beverage that is typically made specifically for Beltane. Alcoholic versions of this beverage usually use honey mead or a sweet wine for a base, and non-alcoholic versions may use ginger ale. [Wine & Champagne based Maybowl Recipe]
Scents associated with Bealtaine are usually wild, earthy, and are often considered to be sensual.
Traditional flowers include: Hawthron, Rose, Sweet Woodruff, and Pansy. Others may include: Bluebell, Marigold, Primrose, and Daisy.
Other tools may include candles, an athame (ritual knife), a brazier or cauldron.
Flower Crowns: Flower crowns are a discreet, pretty and very fitting way of celebrating Bealtaine. If you make your own, use flowers that symbolise the festival - if you can. If you are using artificial flowers, focus on the colour correspondences instead. Red is a biggie as it can represent the fire and/or fertility element.
May Baskets: Traditionally, May Baskets were given to women from men (every woman in a household would get one), and they would be filled with sweets and flowers.
Bonfires: **Only if you have a safe outside space.** Bonfires are a simple way to honour this sabbat. They represent fire (you know, because they are fire), they cleanse and they bring protection. They also bring people together, and it is common to accompany the bonfire with a feast of seasonal foods.
