20 Recipes for Your All-Night Beltane Party (2024)

FAQs

What food is eaten on Beltane? ›

Aphrodisiacs and other romantic foods suit Beltane celebrations that have a sensual theme. Consider serving almonds, asparagus, bananas, figs, nutmeg, oysters, pineapple, strawberries, truffles, and vanilla. Goats and cows are associated with Beltane, making good choices for the meat course.

Beltane or Bealtaine (/ˈbɛl. teɪn/; Irish pronunciation: [ˈbʲal̪ˠt̪ˠənʲə], approximately /ˈb(j)ɒltɪnə/ B(Y)OL-tin-ə) is the Gaelic May Day festival, marking the beginning of summer. It is traditionally held on 1 May, or about midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice.

Lighting the Beltane fires on the first of May was a symbolic move to recall the growing power of the sun and cleanse the community of the dark months spent indoors. In Scotland, cattle were traditionally driven around these fires and the community would dance and leap over the flames.

Buidhe, however, doesn't just mean 'yellow'. It also has suggestions of good fortune. This plant, which bears yellow flowers at the time of Beltane (the English word came from Gaelic), is lucky – its blooms would often be tied above doorways or to the tails of horses or cattle to bring good fortune.

What are Beltane blessings? Beltane blessings are prayers, chants and mantras recited to honor the holiday. Some of these include Am Beannachadh Bealltain, as well as prayers to Roman goddess Flora (sometimes called the May Queen) and prayers to forests, trees, Mother Earth and fertility prayers.

She is the manifestation of growth and renewal, Flora, the Goddess of Spring, the May Queen, the May Bride. The Young Oak King, as Jack-In-The-Green, as the Green Man, falls in love with the Goddess and wins her hand. The union is consummated and the May Queen becomes pregnant.

Wicca. The colours of Beltane are green, red and white/silver. Green represents growth, abundance and fertility.

Beltane also known as May day is a pagan ritual celebrating the height of spring. A cross quarter day celebrating the halfway mark between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. Bonfires have been a part of beltane rituals for generations, dancing around fire and rejoicing in the wonders of the season.

Beltane Festival is the event that marks the start of the Quickening. The Queens demonstrate their powers and meet the suitors from the Mainland.

What is the symbol of Beltane? ›

The symbol of Beltane is the ancient Green Man, to be found all over the country in the most unlikely of places. Many churches have green men hidden in ceiling bosses or peering down from dark corners.

Sometimes Beltane is referred to as Cetsamhain, which means 'opposite Samhain', which reflects the two festivals living on opposite sides on the wheel of the year - Beltane being Samhain's counterpart.

The name "Beltane" derives from Bel, the Celtic god of fire, honored and propitiated with bonfires lit on sacred hills. Smoke from the fire blessed the fields, animals, and community, and maintained the wary, careful balance between the human and faery realms.

This festival is often commemorated with bonfires, maypoles, dancing, and performing fertility rituals. Beltane is a Celtic word, meaning “the fires of Bel.” Bel, likely referred to the Celtic sun god, Belenus.