How to Celebrate Beltane ღ
Ideas and crafts that will keep you and your guests celebrating all day and night.
Make a Maypole [x] or a mini Maypole [x] and dance around it with everyone, weaving the ribbons around the pole if your Maypole is large enough
Build a bonfire and jump over the fire or dance around it clockwise, making a wish as you do so
If you can, make two bonfires and walk between them to bless and purify yourself, or lead a line dance between them. Candles work as well.
Go on a picnic with those you invited over or eat outside
Gather flowers and greens to exchange them with others
Make bouquets of flowers, a wreath of flowers, or wear flowers in your hair
Roll or wash your face in the morning’s dew for beauty, luck, and health
If it’s raining that day, wet your hair in the Beltane rain to bless the head
Bless ponds, rivers, and streams with wildflowers
Leave offerings for the Fae - milk, honey, oats, lavender, roses, etc.
Welcome in the dawn of May with singing and dancing
If you’re able to, have others come celebrate with you (please wear masks if not everyone is vaccinated)
Dress in your best clothes, usually whites and greens
Decorate your house with colorful ribbons and flowers
Adorn doors and other parts of your home with bells
Burn sweet, floral (rose, lavender, vanilla) incense or sexy (musk, patchouli, oakmoss) incense
Make flower crowns to wear [x] [x]
Create May baskets [x]. May Baskets were given or placed secretly on doorsteps to friends, the elderly, the sick, lovers, etc.
Play games with your guests, include icebreaker games, high-action contests, low-action contests, a dance, games that test the mind, and have some quiet interludes sprinkled between
Have music playing in the background of the party, play either energetic newer tunes or traditional Beltane music
If you have a partner or partners, make love to them on the Eve of May - either in your garden or decorate your room with flowers and plants before making love - Beltane is a holiday of love and fertility, but sex isn’t necessary to celebrate Beltane
If you’re single and looking for a partner, feel confident while you meet others, flirt, and embrace your sexuality on Beltane. Celebrate your body and your power during this day
Decorate your altar with greenery, flowers, Hawthorns, leaves, acorns, wands, the athame, etc.
Create a faery garden for Beltane’s fae that come out
Cast spells such as fertility spells, love spells, good luck spells, protection of the home spells, protection spells, growth spells, etc. Sexual magic is also strong during this time
Practice divination - divination is easier than normal on days like Beltane and Samhain. Ask questions for yourself or others
Cast charms on small items like jewelry or key chains and give them to your friends and loved ones. Otherwise, make little sachets filled with herbs and flowers or sigils to give
Take a purifying, ritual bath using flowers and candles that match Beltane’s colors (red, pink, green, white, blue, yellow)
If you worship deities, give them offerings on this day or involve them in your spells. Some influential Greek deities during Beltane include Maia (Beltane honors Her), Apollo (for the start of summer), Demeter (traditionally worshiped on this day), Hestia (for home protection), Dionysus (for the Rising of Dionysus), and Aphrodite (for being a love and fertility Goddess)
Between all the dancing, merry-making, and magic, a feast of food should be prepared for you and your guests. Making the celebration a potluck can lighten your workload
Traditional foods include fresh, in-season vegetables and fruits as well as…
Sweets, such as fruity desserts, chocolates, and honey, evoke the sweetness of love
Spicy foods correspond to the element of fire found in Beltane. Some ideas include curries, hot sauces, peppers, candied ginger, etc.
Aphrodisiacs and other romantic foods bring the sensual theme of Beltane into our food. Some items to consider serving or including in your cooking: almonds, asparagus, bananas, figs, nutmegs, oysters, pineapple, strawberries, truffles, and vanilla
Goats and cows are associated with Beltane and you can make plenty of meat-related dishes with them
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. Fruits, herbs, and flowers are used in the punch
Make edible Maypoles using things like a cake, peppermint sticks, pretzel sticks, etc. and decorate them with the “ribbons” which can be licorice twists, Nerds ropes, colorful frosting, etc.
While nature has foods that look suggestive (bananas, papayas), you can also make certain foods into suggestive shapes yourself, like breads, cakes, chocolates, jello, popsicles, etc. and serve during this fertility festival
Have edible flowers to serve as small, quick snacks
Enjoy this wonderful, joyous day full of love, happiness, and growth!
Looking for alternative celebration tips if you’re celebrating Beltane by yourself? Then click here to see my other list [x]
