Did you ever take part in a May Pole dance back in elementary school? Long, brightly colored ribbons were attached to the top of a long pole. Everyone grabbed a ribbon, half faced clockwise, the other half faced counter clockwise, then everyone began weaving under and over one another. When you could no longer weave over and under, the ends of the ribbon were tied off; and you had a beautifully decorated pole! This was probably done on May 1. Did you ever know why this was? Do you know what is special about May 1? May Day? May Day was historically also known as Beltane. Now, May Day is a combination of ancient Celtic, pagan, German, and Christian holidays.

April 30 was known as Beltane Eve (the night to go "a-maying"); and May 1 was Beltane or May Day. Beltane has been long celebrated with feasts and rituals.

'Beltane means 'fire of Bel '. Belinos was one name for the Sun God, whose coronation feast was celebrated on May Day in some ceremonies. As summer begins, the weather becomes warmer, the plant world blossoms, and an exuberant mood prevails. In old Celtic traditions, it was a time of unabashed sexuality and promiscuity where marriages of a year and a day could be undertaken; but it's not usually observed in that manner in modern times.

In the old times, young people spend the entire night in the woods 'a-maying ', and would dance around the Maypole the next morning. Older married couples may have removed their wedding rings (and the restrictions they imply) for this one night. May morning was a magical time for 'wild ' water (dew, flowing streams, and springs) which was collected and used to bathe in for beauty, or to drink for health. In the Christian calendar, this was celebrated as 'Roodmas '. In Germany, it was the feast of Saint Walpurga, or 'Walpurgisnacht '. An alternative date around May 5 (Old Beltane) or Cinco de Mayo, when the sun reaches 15 degrees Taurus, was also sometimes employed as a feasting or festival date. Today, it is commonly celebrated as Cinco de Mayo.

The May poles were a focal point of the old English village rituals. Many people would rise at the crack of dawn to go outdoors and gather flowers and branches to decorate their homes. The tradition of May baskets comes from the fact that people would gather up baskets of flowers and treats and present them (often anonymously) to new neighbors, people who were not able to gather their own (such as senior citizens), or someone they were sweet on. Women traditionally would braid flowers into their hair, and men and women alike would decorate their bodies. Beltane or May Day marks the return of vitality, of passion.

Ancient Pagan traditions say that Beltane marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Stirred by the energies at work in nature, He desires the Goddess. They fall in love, lie among the grasses and blossoms, and unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the God. To celebrate, a wedding feast, for the God and Goddess must be prepared.

Beltane, also called May Day, is a Sabbat celebrating fertility and the union of the young Horned God and the Goddess. At this time, life is renewing itself. Birds and animals are mating. In the fields, newly planted seeds are beginning to grow. Great fires are lit honoring the fertility God Belenos. Some leap the fires to show the exuberance of the season. Maypoles are erected and bright ribbons are entwined around it. The Maypole represents the masculine. The soft, colorful ribbons represent the feminine. The union of the two symbolizes the union of the God and Goddess. This is the time to fertilize your dreams with action. It is legend that children conceived at Beltane were gifted by the gods. These children were known as Merry-Be-Gots.

Other Beltane customs included:
Archery tournaments,
Processions of chimney sweeps and milk maids,
Sword dances,
Feasting, drinking, and music,
Maidens bathing their faces in the morning dew of May to retain their youthful beauty,
Unashamed displays of human sexuality.

One way to celebrate this holiday is to pick a tree in your yard and adorn it with ribbons and bows. You could put out a large bowl of floating flowers. Baskets of fresh flowers picked moments before sunrise can be hung on the front door and the mantle can be laden with greens and flowers. Flower petals can be strewn about the circle and later swept up into a pile distributed around the perimeter of the house for protection. You could make an old-fashioned wedding feast! Try oatmeal cakes or cookies sweetened with a dab of honey. Just make a lovely wedding feast, and you are sure to enjoy yourself! An early morning walk through a local park or forest could be fun for everyone. Gather up some plants or flowers to display in your home. Mom and daughter could braid their hair, and weave in a few tender blossoms.

Special Note:
Beltane has long been a power point on the calendar and zodiac, and is symbolized by the ‘Bull’, one of 4 tetramorph figures featured on the Tarot cards the World and the Wheel of Fortune. (The other 3 are the Lion, the Eagle, and the Spirit.) Astrologers know these 4 as the fixed signs of the Zodiac (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius respectively), and these naturally align with the 4 Great Sabats of Witchcraft. Christians have adapted the same iconography to represent the 4 gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.