Beltane is coming soon, a Pagan holiday celebrating spring and sexuality. It spans the night of April 30 (May Eve) and May 1 (May Day). Have you decided how you’ll be observing Beltane this year? What do you want on the menu for your feast? How will you decorate your covenstead? Here are some ideas to get you started.
Beltane Food Ideas
Traditional foods associated with Beltane include seasonal spring items, especially the first fresh vegetables. Other foods have more symbolic connections. Beltane recipes are available online or in books such as Cooking To The Wheel of the Year
Sweets evoke the sweetness of love. Fruit pastries and chocolates are popular. Honey is especially relevant because bees are associated with some Beltane themes, and its golden color suggests the Sun and Fire.
Spicy foods correspond to the element of Fire. Hot sauces, peppers, and curries raise the heat of passion too. Candied ginger combines the aspects of sweet and hot.
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. Bring out your barbecue grill for beef ribs or steaks. Goat meat, called chevon, works well in stews and curries.
Maybowl or May Wine is a flavored beverage customarily made for Beltane. Alcoholic versions use honey mead or white wine as the base; nonalcoholic versions use white grape juice, ginger ale, or other beverages. The key ingredient is sweet woodruff, strawberries are very common, and other herbs and fruits may be added for flavor.
Edible May Poles may be constructed of various foods. One year we had one made from a chocolate cake topped with green sprinkles, a peppermint stick, and licorice-whip ribbons.
Suggestive shapes can be found in nature, such as bananas, nuts, or papayas. Chocolate, jello, cookies, bread, and other goodies may be molded or cut to resemble favorite activities, body parts, or deities.
Beltane Decoration Ideas
Select the decorations to match your Beltane theme. Make sure the things you pick will support each other rather than competing. For more ideas, look in books such as Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore and Celebration
Colors: Green represents life, the growing plants, and the God; a bright primary green rather than a paler spring green. This is often combined with rich yellow or gold to stand for the sun. Red corresponds to the element of Fire.
Flowers: Pick whichever flowers are currently blooming in your area. The most traditional is hawthorn, sometimes called “the Blossoming May.” Other good choices include bluebell, cowslip, daisy, lilac, marigold, pansy, primrose, rose, violet, and sweet woodruff. Edible flowers are especially nice.
Incense: Beltane scents are wild and sensual. Lilac, rose, and passion flower are popular floral fragrances. Edible-smelling incenses such as cinnamon or vanilla are also good. Earthy ones include oakmoss and patchouli.
Music: Beltane instruments include horns, drums, bells, and bagpipes. Morris dancing is a major part of many Beltane celebrations. Some good albums include Beltane: Songs for the Green Time
Altar Tools: Masculine symbols such as the athame and wand are prominent in Beltane rituals. If inclement weather prevents outdoor worship, candles or a brazier may substitute for a bonfire.
May Pole: The most famous of Beltane is the May Pole, a tall post with ribbons fastened to the top. Dancers hold onto the ribbons as they circle the post in opposite directions, weaving the ribbons together.
May Baskets: Historically, boys and men would rise early on May Day to gather baskets of flowers and sometimes sweets for the girls and women of their village. Every female is supposed to get a basket. This is a nice tradition for large groups or households.
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