Beltaine marks the beginning of summer. This time is known as the major gate between the worlds. The period from Beltaine up to Samhain - an ghiran mor, " the big sun ". Was considered, that at this time the doors in Other World are wide open, and those, who will rise early in the morning, quite often get gifts from Sidhe (people living in Other World). Beltaine is time of finding the forces and realization the desires. Celtic holiday of Flowers.
A holiday of spring, love, flowers. It's the second fiery holiday. A great holiday of the fertility, opposite of Samhain. Beltaine is a celebration of terrestrial life. In the Wheel of Year - the second holiday by the importance. Day of bonfires, fire, Beltaine is a holiday of May, day when May Queen chooses. Only she should be dress in green clothes for a holiday, to show the respect to wood spirits. Other participants of a holiday cannot dress green color clothes, but they are allowed to have green ribbons (for example, plait them into wreaths).
Beltaine not such serious and solemn, as Samhain; it is famous by its revelry, songs and dancing.
In Beltaine cattle let out from sheds that it, at last, has taste a fresh spring grass. Herds banished between two bonfires to clear them of any illnesses.

Night of May, 1. It is the wedding night of the God and Goddess. People glorifying newly married, light bonfires. At this night the sacred fire gives force, relieves from illnesses, cures of grief. Everything, that is begun now, will bear the fruits. The night of Fires opens the time of love. We decorate our houses with fresh, young greens. Small People leave their winter shelters and come to dance with us by our fires. The bonfire is fine, the fire is hot - this means that the Small people will look after your garden and vegetable plot, with pleasure! They will take care, that the pets are not sick. The fertility of year is conceived this night.

Night of Fires - a holiday of love. Therefore many rituals of this night are connected to fertility. Besides it is night of sacred fire in which the old burns down and the new is born. Throw all old and useless in spring fires.

Those who wishes strong relations, plait wreaths from fresh green branches and the first flowers and offer a wreath to those with whom want to live together. To accept a wreath and to put it on, it means - to accept the offer.

Customs: erection of May Tree, inflame the fires, jumps through fire, girls dancing, gathering of flowers, feasts, the marriages. Symbols: May Tree, a pale yellow narcissus, the sun. Sacred food: sweet products, fruits, honey, pies, rolls. Aromas: the lilac, the heather, flowers of an apple-tree. A sacred tree of celebrating - the sloe, Brann's tree. Grasses of a holiday - the fern, the coriander, the althaea, the nettle, the marjoram. Use dried berries of the sloe, hawthorn and cornel.

Parts of the text of this page was taken from sites:

Irkutsk Celtic Society
celtichut
Clann De Sidhe

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