Conversation – 18

May Day and Beltane

Celebrate May Day by giving flowers or baskets of flowers to friends and neighbors.

Throughout history, humankind has celebrated the transition from season to season. The festival of May Day takes place on May 1 at the halfway point between the beginning of spring and the start of summer and originated in ancient times as a celebration of fertility, life, sexuality, and nature’s renewal. Still observed by many people today, May Day has many colorful and unique customs associated with it and is intimately bound to the Gaelic and pagan fire festival of Beltane. Both celebratory rites take place on the same day and are believed to have originated from the ancient Roman feast of Floralia, which honored Flora, the goddess of spring and flowers, as she returned to the earth to bring the fields back to life with her touch.

Traditionally, May Day celebrations began on April 30, when men and women spent the whole night in the woods where they would dance and play games. On the morning of May 1, they would emerge carrying freshly budded green boughs and flowers that were in bloom. A tree was felled and resurrected as the May Pole around which young people would twine ribbons in the hope of becoming entwined with a new love. Houses were decorated with freshly cut foliage to attract the blessings of earth spirits that were said to walk the land on the first of May. A May King and May Queen were chosen to represent fertility gods and goddesses. Beltane, while also a festival of fertility and sensuality, remains primarily a festival of fire. The Beltane bonfire fire not only blesses the coming season, but also invites luck into one’s life. Jumping over a Beltane fire, walking between two fires, or burning sacred wood and dried herbs in a fire guarantees an auspicious season. Often, people would put out their fires and rekindle their hearth using a flame taken from the bonfire.

Both May Day and Beltane can be observed to celebrate the return of passion and vitality that we feel as the weather grows warmer and the world grows greener. You can celebrate these festivals by decorating your home with flowers, blessing your garden, or filling baskets with fresh produce and giving them to loved ones. Each festival represents a wonderful opportunity to mark the end of winter’s darkness and ruminate on what the light-filled days of the coming months may bring. AMEN! 😎✨💕

@kittengirl,

Good Morning Kitten wishing you a great new month and week. ✨😎🌹

@shoelady60,

Good day in the ‘burgh. Stay warm and enjoy this cool spring day. 💕😘😎
Oz is coolish in the 50’s with sun so that is perfect for me. ✨😎

Hey welcome to a new month and a new week. I know you have family from out of town
I hope hubby and nephew are having fun on the Golf Course. 💕

@taci,

Good morning in S. California. 😎🌹✨Here comes the Sun and I say it’s alright. 🎶🎶
I watched the Carol Burnett Special and I had no idea she was turning 90 years old.
To me she still looks the same as she did all those years ago on TV. Taci she can still sing
too. 💕🎶I am wishing her many more years and she is such a funny lady.

No I don’t want hot weather just yet I want to enjoy everything spring has to offer. ✨

@oodiebom,

Good afternoon on the Gulf Coast of Florida and may this day finds you doing well.
How you feeling today Oodie?

Have a little fun shopping. Oodie I did take the sinus pill I spent all weekend shopping
and doing the yards with hubby. 💕🌹The hard work is paying off already. Life is returning
to our area. We had a very windy weekend but that did not stop us. I almost saw Poppy get
blown away no worries I can fly I would have went after my baby. 💕

Happy May and may this be a good month Oodie for you and your husband. 🌹

@xango,

Good day in Florida I wish I were in Brazil all month long. 😎✨Party Time. 🌹😘💕

Oz has the sun today and it is beautiful hubby and I did a lot this weekend. 😎

Hey what’s cooking today? Hey Happy May to you and may this month be a blessing. 😘

@loaf,

Good day Loaf miss you much. 😘💕✨😎Here is to a great new month and week.

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