Wednesday, May 1, 2019

May Day / Beltane

May Day is one of the great festivals of Spring.  Halfway through the year from Halloween, when we honor our beloved dead, Beltane is a celebration of life.  Flowers are appearing, trees begin to bud, animals are more active and birds are singing and building their nests.  This festival celebrates all the differences that are necessary in our world and come together to make it whole. The maypole with its different colored ribbons symbolizes the coming together of all these differing components.  
Here are a few suggestions I have put together to inspire your celebration.

Verse and song

Here’s a branch of snowy May,
A branch the fairies gave us.
Who would like to dance today,
With a branch the fairies gave us.
Dance away, dance away
Holding high this branch of May.
Dance away, dance away
Holding high this branch of May.

Game to play
One child sits in the middle of the circle, hidden under a light cloth.
Everyone else holds hands and walks around, until she reveals her lovely eyes.

Walking in the woods

While walking in the woods one day, in the merry merry month of May, I was taken by surprise, by a pair of lovely eyes, while walking in the woods one day.

Both come from a book The Singing Year by Candy Verney

Activity for May

You will need,
One side round shallow container.  Plant saucers work well.
Chai seed, clover or alfalfa (any ground cover seeds that don’t grow too tall.)
Dirt
Dowel
Ribbons
Glue/tape
Flowers

Soak chia seeds in water and set aside
Fill dish with dirt about ½ inch from top.  Sprinkle seeds all around and add clumps of the chia seed mix in different spots.

Cut ribbons the length of your dowel and tape or glue to one end.  At that same end, attach flowers. Press the opposite end into the center of your dish of soil and seeds.  Keep your soil moist and watch the seeds sprout and grow over the next couple of weeks. Add playmobile characters at the end of each ribbon so they can dance the maypole.  Enjoy throughout the month of May!

Recommended reading:

Circle Round, Starhawk, Diane Baker, Anne Hill
A Child’s Seasonal Treasury, Betty Jones
Beltane, Raven Grimassi

Websites: