The first is: Why do we schedule a merry holiday at the darkest time of the year, and then expect everyone to be happy and gay? Christmas doesn't compute. Yes, let's get that Sun back and all such ... but lords a' leaping? Oh please.
The second is: Why do we schedule a romantic holiday in the middle of a snowy month when everyone has the flu? I'm talking about Valentine's Day, of course, and I know the answer to this one! It's a reason to go shopping, when otherwise people would be at home by the fire.
Now let's look at Beltane, aka May Day. Was there ever a more sensible time to get romantic and be happy and gay? I respectfully submit ... ah, nope. May Day has it going on. Let us count the ways:
1. The weather is perfect. Not too hot, not too cold.
2. Everything is coming back to life. There are flowers everywhere! The trees are robed in Mother Nature's first green!
3. There are no gifts to buy for anyone. With a sturdy pole and some bright ribbon, you're set.
4. The warmth and extra sunlight re-charge the ol' libido. Spin those Marvin Gaye albums, please!
5. You can dance outside without being bundled up in layers of fur.
6. The birds sing magnificently, like a symphony. At Christmas you get a miserable partridge and a couple of wretched turtle doves. Contrast that to your garden jenny wren. Case closed.
7. The school year is almost over, which means evaluation season has passed. (Granted, this one is more personal than the rest, but it's a biggie.)
8. May is when all the cute baby animals appear in the fields. And in your back yard, for that matter. Look at that adorable baby possum rooting through your compost!
9. Azaleas
10. May Day Fairie Festival at Spoutwood Farm
You knew this was about to become a shameless plug for the faeries, right? Well now, if you want a first-rate place to celebrate Beltane, with a fabulous maypole, a couple thousand people dressed like Celts/fae/steampunks/goths/hippies, you cannot go wrong with the May Day Fairie Festival at Spoutwood Farm in sunny Glen Rock, PA! Spare and I go every year. Spare is the leader of the Mountain Tribe.
If you live in the grand megalopolis that is called Philadelphia/Baltimore/Washington, you are within reach of this cheerful Beltane gathering. Please come and join Spare and me, and the faeries and the Nature Spirits as we dance in the May!
'Tis really really really the season to be jolly!
3 comments:
I can tell it's your favourite time of the year!
mine to Debra....bluebonnets what's not to love...I remember one school I went too, wish I could remember which one out of over 10 schools it was, but can't..but we had a huge may pole and all the girls had wreaths of flowers in our hair and pastel dresses of pink, blue green...and yellow .mine was yellow and we did some sort of pagan dance:(my guess at this now)around the pole...was so cool.
I think we have the "jolliest time of the year" in December specifically because it's dark and depressing. Almost every major religion out there has some kind of holiday observance around that time, probably for a reason.
Valentine's Day, your guess is as good as mine on that one.
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