Twenty Beltane Activities for the start of summer.

Twenty Beltane Activities.

As the counterpoint to Samhain on the Pagan Wheel of the Year Beltane is a very important festival; and heralds the beginning of summer. There are many activities that you can do therefore to celebrate the returning of the light and the warming of our days. Many of these activities are suitable for all the family to take part in, children and adults alike will enjoy celebrating Beltane and the coming of the summer. Some are craft activities but you do not need to be artistic to give these easy projects a go! If you have any others that you can add to this list then please let me know!

          Attend a maypole dance. If you check near you there are quite possibly some maypole dances happening on Beltane or May Day. A maypole dance is fabulous to either take part in or to watch; the red and white ribbons symbolizing the intertwining of female and male energy.

P   Plait your own maypole ribbons. You can achieve the same union of energies by plaiting red and white ribbons and using these to decorate your home. You may like to use red white and blue or black to symbolize the mother maiden and crone aspects of the triple Goddess.

     Gather morning dew in a jar at sunrise. It is said to have healing powers. Bathing your face in the morning dew is said to ensure your retain your beauty.

     Re-visit any new plans that you started at Oestara and consider what is needed now to bring those plans to fruition.

           Attend a Pagan Beltane event. Many groups now have public ceremonies on the major

     Sabbats. These events that are open to the public are open to all and everyone is made to feel welcome. You don’t need to be a Pagan to join in either if this is the first such event you have attended. It is all about honouring the cycles of nature.  In England there are major celebrations at Glastonbury and Thornborough Henge. If anyone knows of a celebration happening near them then please feel free to comment at the end of the page and I will include it in the post.
     Here are details of the events at the Chalice Well Gardens, Glastonbury Beltane at Chalice Well Gardens and Thornborough Henge Beltane at Thornborough, also the Cotswold Order of Druids post events here: Beltane in the Cotswolds

     Make some Elderflower Champagne. The recipe for this delicious drink may be found here:
    Elderflower champagne

     Collect blossom from trees and local flowers that are in season and decorate your home or your altar with them. Filling  a cauldron or a large bowl with fresh flowers  is a lovely way to celebrate Beltaine

     Make a Beltane head-dress, I will be putting a post on how to easily do this shortly.

     Make a Green man mask. Firstly cut out a mask shape with holes for the eyes and mouth. Then start with a circle of leaves, glue them down around the outside and gradually build up layers as you move into the middle of the circle and the whole of the face is covered. You can use real leaves for this or cut some out of green paper or felt.

     Make a Beltane circlet for the top of the mayplole or to hang on your front door.

     Make or buy a Beltane charm and hang it up in your home. You can do this quite simply with coloured ribbons and perhaps and beads or buttons that you might have. A beautiful Beltain charm with a murano glass heart may be found here:http://www.astarte-moon.co.uk/shop/

Beltane Charm

     Make a herb sachet. Herbal sachets also make wonderful gifts that are easy for children to make. Take a small square or round piece of light fabric, and put some dried herbs in the centre. You may like to use rosemary or lavender for a lovely smelling bundle that can be hung up in a wardrobe. Gather up the edges and tie it closed with a ribbon in Beltane colours.

     Get creative with face painting. You can transform you and your loved ones into Greenmen and women! If you don’t want to paint your whole face green simple spirals drawn on with eye-liner can look just as effective.

     Make a dish of fruits, berries, nuts and leave in the wood for the animals and fae folk to enjoy

           Braid bracelets out of red and white ribbons or red white and blue for the triple Goddess and give them as gifts to friends or family

      Create your own Bel-fire by lighting a large red candle and dropping into it dried rosemary, lavender or rose petals. As you do so think about what your heart desires over the coming months and give thanks for all that you have in your life.

      Visit a local sacred well or other water.

     Have a plant swap with friends bringing some lovely variety to your home and garden.

    Leave baskets of goodies on your friends’ doorsteps. They may think that the faeries have left them if you don’t let them in on the secret!

Decorate a tree in your garden or your local park with ribbons representing your wishes on them or those loved ones that you want to mention in your prayers

P      Photography AstarteAlison
      A Ceremony for Every Occasion: Siusaidh Ceanadach


c    Sacred Celebrations: Glennie Kindred Llewellyn's 2012 Sabbats Almanac
      Wheel of the Year ;Pauline Campanelli

      The Sacred Wheel: a guide to the Pagan year for beginners in Witchcraft and Wicca.

C    MommaWhiteCougar The Pagan

A  Ceremony for Every Occasion: The Pagan Wheel of the Year and Rites of Passage [Paperback]Siusaidh CeanadacPagan in the City: Cassandra Easson

T     The Complete Book of Magic and Ritual ; Cassandra Easson