The first of May is generally considered the first official day of summer and has been a day of festivities and celebrations for a long time.

The origins of May Day are pre-Christian and are related to the Celtic Festival of Beltane. It celebrates the height of spring, the flowering of life with the Goddess manifesting as the May Queen.

In more recent times the date has come to be associated with various socialist and labour movement celebrations. This is generally due to the commemoration of the Haymarket riots of May the 4^th 1886 in Chicago – the culmination of labour unrest that began on the 1^st of May. It is now celebrated throughout much of the world as an anarchist/ socialist holiday – and is often called International Workers Day, or Labour Day, a time when the social and economic achievements of the working classes and labour movements are recognised.

The Magical and Mysterious Beltane and May Day Celebrations

Beltane, and its winter counter part Samhain (which occurs at what we now call ‘Halloween’), divide the year into its two primary seasons, winter (Dark Part) and summer (Light Part). As Samhain is about honouring Death, Beltane is about honouring Life. It is the time when the sun is fully released from his bondage of winter and able to rule over summer and life once again.

A time of no time

According to Celtic beliefs Beltane, like Samhain, is a time of "no time" when the veils between the two worlds (our world and the Faery world) are at their thinnest. No time is when the two worlds intermingle and unite and the magic abounds! It is the time when the Faeries return from their winter respite, carefree and full of faery mischief and faery delight.

Faeries

On the night before Beltane, in times past, folks would place rowan branches at their windows and doors for protection; many otherworldly occurrences could transpire during this time of "no time". Traditionally on the Isle of Man, the youngest member of the family gathers primroses on the eve before Beltane and throws the flowers at the door of the home for protection. In Ireland it is believed that food left over from May Eve must not be eaten, but rather buried or left as an offering to the faery folk instead. Much like the tradition of leaving whatever is not harvested from the fields on Samhain, food at the time of no time is treated with great care.

The Faery Queen

When the veils are so thin it is an extremely magical time, it is said that the Queen of the Faeries rides out on her white horse. Roving about on Beltane eve, She will try to entice people away to the Faeryland. Legend has it that if you sit beneath a tree on Beltane night, you may see the Faery Queen or hear the sound of Her horse's bells as She rides through the night. If you hide your face, She will pass you by but if you look at Her, She may choose you. There is a Scottish ballad of this story called Thomas the Rhymer, in which Thomas chooses to go the Faeryland with the Queen and has not been seen since.

Beltane Fires

There are numerous traditions associated with Beltane, the best known being the Beltane fires where sacred woods would be kindled by a spark form flint or friction-“a fire from rubbing sticks”. The tradition on May Day Eve is to jump over the Beltane fire, move through it or dance clockwise around it. Livestock would be driven between the two fires to bring about purification, increased fertility and blessings.

Blessings

Rowan sticks collected before the Beltane Festival were carried around the sacred fire three times then hung over the hearth to bless the home. There was often a symbolic sacrifice of a Beltane Cake, burnt in the flames of the fire.

This may sound all rather fantastical but throughout the British Isles, many of these age-old traditions are honoured to this day. The Pagan community throughout Britain celebrates, of course, but there are also mainstream events with high attendance. For example, in Edinburgh the Beltane Fire Society hosts an annual fire on top of Calton Hill – over twelve thousand people were there last year!

The May Pole

Generally you’ll find individual villages conduct their own May Day celebrations where festivities often feature the May Pole. The May Pole is certainly something that we are all familiar with here in Britain. According to the book, The Two Babylons, the origin of the maypole dance began in ancient Bablyon during sex worship and fertility rites. A carved upright representation of the human penis was danced around by young females and woven with ribbons to ensure offspring.

Nowadays the traditional may pole dance that we are familiar with has its origins in traditional and 'art' dance forms popular in Italy and France in the 18^th Century. These were exported to the London stage and reached a large audience, becoming part of the popular performance repertoire. They were adopted at a large teacher training institution and the ribbon may pole dance then spread across most of central and southern England. It is now regarded as the most 'traditional' of May Day's traditional characteristics. The dance consists of dancers dancing in a circle each holding a coloured ribbon attached to a pole; the ribbons are intertwined and plaited either on to the pole itself or into a web around the pole. The dancers then retrace their steps exactly in order to unravel the ribbons.

Morris dancers too are usually seen at village celebrations of May Day – a tradition that has existed since Tudor times.

May Waters

It is considered extremely auspicious to roll in the May Day dew – and even better, washing your face in the pre-dawn dew is said to bring health, luck and beauty.

If it rains on May Day – do not fret or put up your umbrella! Simply step outside and get your head and hair soaking wet as the rain falls to bring a blessing onto your head.

Beltane is a time to bless springs, ponds and other sacred waters – and a time to collect these waters to purify and sanctify your home and garden.

Sacred Union and Fertility

As much of the focus of May Day is on fertility and life, it is hardly surprising that sex features as a sacred activity on this day. Al fresco sex blesses the fields, herds of animals and home. To honour this in olden times, vows of fidelity were suspended for one night only….

Hand Binding Ceremonies

In honour of the associated fertility of the season, hand fasting ceremonies would be performed on May Day – an annual renewal of commitment and partnership.

Hand fasting is a betrothal or wedding ritual in which the couple's clasped hands are tied together by a cord or ribbon — hence the phrase "tying the knot".

In the present day, some Pagans continue to practice this ritual. The marriage vows taken may be for "a year and a day", a lifetime, or "for all of eternity". As hand fasting is not legal in the UK, this would be a spiritual commitment between the couple.

Hold Your Own Beltane Celebration

It’s a beautiful way to bring in the summer – why not decorate your home and garden with green budding branches, and garlands of flowers? Make baskets of flowers for friends and loved ones.

And host a Beltane Fire party with May Bowl Punch to drink – a wonderful alcoholic punch with sweet blossoms afloat in it. Light the Beltane Fire, dance clockwise around it with your friends and family and rejoice in the Light Part of the year. Tell faery stories and feel the magic in the air…..just watch out for the Faery Queen who may just whisk you off to that parallel world!