Beltane, also known as “May Day” is one of the 4 seasonal festivals that were sacred to the ancient Celts.

Celebrated on May 1st, Beltane marks the beginning of Summer, with warmer weather and flowers blooming.

It represents a time of fertility, growth and new beginnings! The ancient Celts had community-wide feasts and games during this time… great big bonfires were lit, and “May bushes” were decorated with flowers, ribbons, and shells.

Beltane festivals are still held today in Scotland (Beltane Fire Society of Edinburgh), but for those of you who want to celebrate Beltane on your own, I have a list of six simple rituals you can do right at home! Read below…

Rituals for Beltane:

Make Hawthorn Tea
The Hawthorn tree blooms in May and is regarded as a magical tree. It is commonly linked to the fairy realm and plays an integral part in the rituals of Beltane. It was believed that sleeping under a hawthorn tree at Beltane would gain you entrance into the fairy realm. And petitions written on ribbons and tied to the branches of a Hawthorn tree would be carried by the wind to the fairies, who may choose to assist.
One of the easiest rituals to honor this magical tree is to make and enjoy a pot of Hawthorn tea at home. Use organic, dried Hawthorn steeped in boiling water for 10 minutes to get a potent infusion.
Clean & refresh your altar
Give your sacred space a good cleaning (using Florida Water or something else). Next, bring in some fresh seasonal flowers in a vase or you can sprinkle dried calendula, dandelion, and/or hawthorn in a bowl. You’ll want to make sure you put a fresh yellow or orange candle out. This represents the Sun and Fire energies that Beltane is all about. You may also wish to include a little offering to the fairies on your altar, like a small bowl of honey or milk.
Have a bonfire
The Celts had an ancient tradition of circling around or jumping through the flames of their bonfires to bring good luck and protection to themselves, their crops and livestock. When the bonfires went out, the ashes were sprinkled over the growing crops.
Decorate a “May Bush”
Choose a bush or small tree at home that you can decorate with flowers, garlands, ribbons, crystals, and shells. You can write wishes on your ribbons and hope for the fairies to help make it come true! Don’t forget to show your gratitude to these unseen, magical beings!
Connect with the Fairies
As I just mentioned, if you are going to ask the fairies to bless you, then you should bless them in return! By leaving a small offering of honey, milk, or cake on your altar or outside under your “May Bush”. Fairies love sweet treats! You can also dive into learning about fairies with a great book like the Modern Witchcraft Guide to Fairies or the magical Fairy Gems Oracle Deck.
Make a delicious “Herbal Blessed Butter”
It’s as simple as combining high quality, salted butter from grass fed Irish cows and some gorgeous edible Spring flowers! Click here for the quick and easy recipe!