# Happy Beltane! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 1, 2020, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960 "2020-05-01T11:58:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/1 "2020-05-01T11:58:23Z")
Whilst doing some early morning web browsing before I start my at-home workday, I was reminded today is Beltane! For those of you who aren’t familiar, Beltane is the Gaelic May Day festival, predating Christianity: > **[Beltane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltane)** > > Beltane (/ˈbjɑːl.tɪnə/) is the Gaelic May Day festival. Commonly observed on the first of May, the festival falls midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The festival name is synonymous with the month marking the start of summer in Ireland, May being Mí na Bealtaine. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. In Irish the name for the festival day is Lá Bealtaine (\[l̪ˠaː ˈbʲal̪ˠt̪ˠənʲə\]), in Scottish Gael Be... It typically involves drinking and bonfires. Coincidentally, I was already planning to have a fire in my backyard tonight and drink a couple beverages. Perhaps I’ll also listen to Jethro Tull’s “Songs from the Wood” album to get meself even more in the mood. [“Beltane”-- Jethro Tull (YouTube Link)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8_mYhYLTLk) Anybody else celebrating Beltane today, either intentionally or by default? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/2 "2020-05-01T12:38:17Z")
Well its Friday, so I’ll drink a few beers most likely but we’re also due T’storms so I won’t be hanging outside. But happy May Day. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/3 "2020-05-01T12:40:15Z")
Blessed be, one and all. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/4 "2020-05-01T16:15:06Z")
> [@solost](#): > > It typically involves drinking and bonfires. So any drink that is usually set on fire would be appropriate? ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/5 "2020-05-01T16:49:21Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Whilst doing some early morning web browsing before I start my at-home workday, I was reminded today is Beltane! > … Thank you for the timely reminder! Thank you also for the Jethro Tull, and have some [T Rex](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUNEYOs-Eeo) in return! j ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/6 "2020-05-01T17:11:16Z")
Merry May to all! – the sun has finally come out here. Very nice to see it; hope it lasts a while. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/7 "2020-05-01T17:16:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So any drink that is usually set on fire would be appropriate? ![](https://media.giphy.com/media/FEWXPbLxkQ9FK/giphy.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/8 "2020-05-01T17:16:47Z")
Each May Day I remember the following little ditty: Hooray, hooray, for the first of May! Outdoor screwing starts today! I always tried to celebrate appropriately. _May_ you all, as well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/9 "2020-05-01T17:23:20Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Each May Day I remember the following little ditty: > > Hooray, hooray, for the first of May! Outdoor screwing starts today! > > I always tried to celebrate appropriately. _May_ you all, as well. 🙂 That sounds like a nice celebratory trifecta to go with the drinking and bonfires! Just watch out for sparks :eek: > [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Thank you for the timely reminder! Thank you also for the Jethro Tull, and have some [T Rex](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUNEYOs-Eeo) in return! > > j Thanks for the T Rex! I didn’t know they had a Beltane song. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/10 "2020-05-01T18:57:37Z")
Happy May Day! In our minds it’s something. In the US it’s nothing. In the rest of the world it’s Worker’s Day. The BeeGee’s song The First of May doesn’t celebrate anything - it’s like eating stew cold from the can. Happy May Day! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/11 "2020-05-01T19:04:32Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Each May Day I remember the following little ditty: > > Hooray, hooray, for the first of May! Outdoor screwing starts today! > > I always tried to celebrate appropriately. _May_ you all, as well. 🙂 I’m at that point in my life when I’ve tired of sand in the underpants and all the other downsides of screwing out of doors. Give me a voluptuous (and comfortable!) mattress inside, preferably surrounded by relish trays and fine beverages. Open windows with luxurious, billowing drapes are, of course, just fine. Meanwhile, you young folk please do carry on with frolicking in the woods and fields. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/12 "2020-05-01T20:05:04Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Meanwhile, you young folk please do carry on with frolicking in the woods and fields. > > 😃 Not to mention acquiring bug bites and rashes. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-beltane/852960/13 "2020-05-02T03:05:43Z")
Pass the cup of crimson wonder.