A BEALTAINE RITE

April 22, 2011 at 6:08 am (Holidays, spirituality)
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(A part of my “little ritual” series.  Materials from, and adapted from ADF, the Carmia Gadelica, and other sources.)   In addition to usual “little ritual” supplies, bring ribbons, flowers and blown eggs to decorate your May tree.

*(Edited to note: I wrote this ritual when I was a Celtic Reconstructionist and scheduled it for this later date. For info on how to convert this ritual to an ADF format, see the “little rituals” article highlighted above.)

Circumambulation (circle ritual area three times.)

Purpose
“I am here to keep the old ways and honor the Kindred at the time of Bealtaine.”

Three Realms Blessing
“As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be –
I stand at the Center of Earth, Sky and Sea.”

Fire Lighting
“I kindle the sacred fire of Bealtaine in the names of Belenos and to Belisama.”  (light fire and offer oil)

Hail to the Spirits
“Hail, Earth Mother, whole and holy, honor unto thee!” 
(touch the earth, give offering)
“I offer now as the ancients did to the Kindreds Three!”
“To the Fair Folk, I give offering and welcome.”  (Make offerings and libations.)
“To the Ancestors, I give offering and welcome.”  (Make offerings and libations.)
“To my Deities, I give offering and welcome.”  (Make offerings and libations.)
“Danu- Sacred Mother, Bíle- Tree of Life, I honor you this day.”
(Make offerings and libations.)

Blessing with Fire
Set aflame two brands from the fire and circle around the land, your home, or ritual area and say:
“Hail Summer, season of light and life. 
May the Bealtaine fires bring health, prosperity, and happiness to all! 
May all maladies be banished in the names of the Shining Ones!”
Return brands to the fire.
(Optional: toss knobs of banock over your shoulder as offering to various nature Spirits.)

May Tree
Decorate a tree with flowers, ribbons, and blown eggs.
Say the “Tree of Life” prayer:
“Bíle, King of the Tree of Life, the blossoms on the branches are your people,
the singing birds are your angels, the whispering breeze is your Spirit. 
O King of the Tree of Life, my the blossoms bring forth the sweetest fruit,
may the birds sing out the highest praise,
may your Spirit cover all with it’s gentle breath.” 
Sing Bealtaine songs and dance around the tree.

Blessing Cup
“Ancient Ones, a Child of the Earth calls out for your blessing.
Hallow these waters, O holy powers.  Grant me the blessing I seek.
May the Wisdom, Love and Power of the Deities,
Ancestors and Sidhe flow into this Cup of Blessing.”
(Hold cup out with both hands and feel the energy flow into the cup.)
“This cup now holds the waters of life!
I drink this in the name of the Kindred.”  (drink deeply)
“May these waters I have received
flow through my body and through my spirit,
and may they pour out into the rest of my life.” 

Parting Blessing
“I offer my thanks to the Mother of All. 
I offer my thanks to the Deities, Ancestors and Fair-Folk.
May the Three Sacred Kins bring joy to all beings,
and renew the ancient wisdom.
As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be.”

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My Bealtaine Playlist

April 17, 2011 at 6:08 am (Chants & Songs, Holidays)
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My Bealtaine playlist is a mixture of old and new songs.  Numbers 1 and 8 are variations on the same song, I believe, very traditional and sung in Gaeilege (Irish Gaelic).

1. Thugamar Fein an Samhradh Linn – Wolfe Tones (As Gaeilege)

2. Flowering Earth - Ani Williams & Lisa Thiel (Sisters of the Dream)

3. The Wild Mountain Thyme – The Corries (Silver collection)

4. Weaving the Summer - Spiral Dance (The Quickening)

5. The Pretty Maid - Clannad (Clannad)

6. Round the Tree of Life We Go – Beverly Frederick (Through the Darkness)

7. Padstow – Steeleye Span (Another Parcel of Steeleye Span)

8. Bealtaine Song – La Lugh (Brighid’s Kiss)

9. Faery Song - Lisa Thiel (Invocation of the Graces)

10. Hal-An-Tow - The Watersons (Frost and Fire)

11. Magic in the Air – Jennifer Reif (Mysteries of Earth)

12. Staines Morris - Shirley Collins (Within Sound disk3)

13. Maypole – Paul Giovanni (The Wicker Man)

14. Faery Queen Invocation – Beverly Frederick (Through the Darkness)

15. Beltane Fires - Gaia Consort (Secret Voices)

16. Sumer Is Icumen In - Circulus (Thought Becomes Reality)

17. Ain’t We Got a Right (to the Tree of Life) – Naked Brunch (Tree Aid)

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Our Bealtaine Rite

May 3, 2010 at 8:53 pm (Holidays, Uncategorized)
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This year my family and I celebrated Bealtaine at a local park.  What a beautiful day it was to bring the summer in!  We stopped to pick flowers on the way there.
When we arrived at the park, the first thing we did was to trek down to Skull creek and splash our faces with water.

~A sacred fire we lit in an outdoor stone fireplace and gave an offering of oil:
“I kindle a fire in the presence of Bríde, gold-red woman.
May her blessings be on us here today.”

We bent to touch the Earth Mother in reverence, and made to her our personal prayers individually and gave offerings of grains.

~We spoke a Three Realms blessing:
“As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be,
may we live, love, and be blest
Midst the realms of Earth, Sky, and Sea.”

~We called to the Three:
“Today begins the season of Bealtaine!
We give offering and welcome to the Spirits of the Land and Nature.
We give offering and welcome to the Ancestors.
We give offering and welcome to our Gods and Goddesses…”
(Individual personalized prayers followed.)
We made offerings of grains into the fire for each, followed by libations.

~We offered knobs from the Bealtaine bannock (over the shoulder) to a miscellany of Spirits.

~We made more offerings- a portion of our ritual feast…

~So commenced our celebration, with feasting, singing, merriment and making daisy chains!

We ended our rite with “As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be.”

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A Bealtaine Feast Menu

April 25, 2010 at 6:25 am (Food, Holidays)
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Nettle Soup
Roasted Salmon
Baked Mushrooms
Honeycakes, Custards, Fritters
Bealtaine Bannock
Caudle or Mead

~~~

This is a traditional Bealtaine dish served in Ireland.  You can substitute young dandelion leaves if you can’t find nettles or don’t want to risk getting stung- mind though, that would be less authentic.
Nettle Soup
1 pt. Nettle tops
1 oz. Butter
1 oz. Oatmeal
10 oz. Water, stock or milk
Salt and pepper
Wearing rubber gloves, wash the young nettle tops in several changes of cold water. Chop finely, or mince. Melt butter in pot. Sprinkle in oatmeal and fry until golden brown. Stir in water, stock or milk. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Add the nettles, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.

Roasted Salmon
4 tablespoons honey
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup Irish whiskey
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper
8 (6 ounce)  salmon fillets
Fresh wood sorrel
Mix together honey, vinegar, whiskey, thyme, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over salmon and marinate 4 hours in the refrigerator.  Preheat oven to 450°F.  Remove salmon from marinade and place on a rack over a roasting pan.  Grill or Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, basting once with the marinade or until golden and white juices are just beginning to appear.  Serve on a platter garnished with fresh wood sorrel.

Baked Mushrooms
16 Large field mushrooms
½ cup Chopped onions
½ cup Whole wheat breadcrumbs
4 oz.  Sausage
1 teaspoon  Chopped sage
Salt and pepper
Wash and peel mushrooms. Remove stalks and discard.  Brush mushrooms with melted butter. Fry onions in remaining butter. When tender, mix onion and butter with breadcrumbs, sausage, herbs and seasonings. Divide among the mushrooms. Place mushrooms in a shallow ovenproof dish, pour 4 tablespoons of water into the bottom of the dish, and bake for 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Honeycakes
1½ cups flour
1½ tablespoons vinegar
½ cup butter, melted
¾ cup honey
1 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Whisk together all ingredients.  Bake in an ungreased square or round casserole at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Dust with sifted powdered sugar, if desired.

Bealtaine Caudle
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon oatmeal
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
salt
nutmeg or mixed spice
mead, whisky, or ale
(This recipe makes about one or two servings- increase amounts according to your needs.)  Heat the milk in a pan with the oatmeal and a pinch of salt. Stir well and bring to the boil, then simmer until it starts to thicken.  Stir in the eggs, sugar and spices (added according to taste), and keep simmering for at least five minutes – stir well to make sure the mixture doesn’t burn or stick to the pan.  Remove from the pan and add in as much mead, ale or whiskey as you prefer.
Bealtaine caudle is a traditional libation poured on the ground to insure the continued fertility of land and livestock.  It is also used as a glaze for bannocks.

Soft Mead (non-alcoholic)
4 cups spring water
1 cup honey
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 lemons, sliced (or 1 lemon and 1 orange)
Bring the water, honey, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon to a boil in a non-metallic pan. Stir until honey is dissolved; heaviness should disappear from bottom of the pan. Use wooden spoon to skim off skin that forms at top of brew. Add citrus, squeezing as they are placed in the pan. Cool completely; strain. Store in bottle in refrigerator.

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Bealtaine for Kids

April 18, 2010 at 6:42 am (Arts & Crafts, folkways, Holidays, Pagan Parenting)
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Introducing Bealtaine to Kids
One book I have recommended time and gain for introducing the Celtic High Days to children is The Ancient Celtic Festivals and How We Celebrate Them Today by Clare Walker Leslie and Frank E. Gerace.  There are a lot of little inaccuracies however… for instance, the book depicts the maypole as a Celtic custom, and puts forth the idea that marriages and handfastings were customary on May day.  If you don’t mind explaining to your kids that some of these details are wrong, then this book is quite good for explaining some of the meanings of the holidays.  It includes full page colored drawings of what each holiday may have been like in ancient times.  Another depiction of Bealtaine in ancient times can be found in a coloring book entitled Life in Celtic Times.
Of course another way to introduce your kids to Bealtaine is to include them in the festivities and explain everything as you go along.  Include them in preparing the sacred foods of the Bealtaine feast and let them make offerings and libations too.  Although summertime is not a traditional time for telling stories, it is worth noting that it was on Bealtaine that the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived in Ireland.  There is a lovely short story account of it in Celic Wonder Tales by Ella Young.
Crafts – Customs – Activities
Bealtaine is a very family friendly holiday!  There are so many wonderful traditional customs (see my earlier post on Bealtaine), there’s no need to make up new ones!   Collect May dew, splash each other with water.  Sing some Bealtaine songs.  Get out there and pick some wildflowers and dandelions!  Decorate your house with them, make little paper cones with a string handle (May Baskets), fill them with flowers, and hang on neighbor’s doorknobs.  Also, decorate yourself with them:

Flower Chains
Would it even seem right to not make these on Bealtaine?  Learning how to make flower chains is one of those classic childhood skills that every kid (and grown-up) should know.
1.  First off, pick a bunch of long stemmed wildflowers, daisies, or yellow dandelions- about fifteen to twenty.
2.  Crisscross a couple of the flowers at the stem just an inch or so down from the flower head.
3.  Loop the stem of the second flower under and around the stem of the first and cross it over it’s own stem like in this second picture.  Pull it gently until its lightly knotted.
4.  Repeat step 3 with more flowers.  Make flower chains long enough for a flower crown, plus more for necklaces and bracelets, if you like.  Join ends together and knot.

May Bush
This can be a living tree or a branch or clump of a tree brought indoors.  Decorate it streamers, ribbons, scraps of cloth, flowers, and colored eggshells.  At dusk, dance around it!  The May Bush is representative of the World Tree or Tree of Life.

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Ozark May Day Customs

April 11, 2010 at 6:43 am (folkways, Holidays)
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Though the big celebrations of Bealtaine/ May day had been left behind long ago in the ancestral homelands, folklorist Vance Randolph documented many folk customs that he witnessed in the Ozarks persisting well up into the twentieth century.

~For many families, the first of May was the first day of the year that children were allowed to go outside barefoot.

~On this day, winter clothes were packed away with sassafras leaves.

~Cucumber and watermelons planted before sunrise on May first would not be bothered by insects.

~May first was considered the best day of the year for a girl to pick a husband. However, it was considered unlucky to marry in May.

~If you throw an eggshell into a fire on May first and you see a drop of blood on it, you will not live to see another May day.

May Day Future Mate Divinations

~Look into a spring before breakfast to see images of your future husband and children.
~Go to a well at noon and reflect light down into the darkness with a mirror to see the face of your future spouse.

~Wet a handkerchief on the eve of May and hang it in a cornfield. The next day look for initials in the wrinkles.

~Hold a bottle of water up to the light at sunrise to see an outline of your future husband.

~Place a horseshoe over your door before dawn on May first and the next person to pass through the door will look like your future husband.

~A widow may leave her door open at daybreak on the first of May and the first creature to enter her house will have the hair color of her future husband.

~The first bird’s nest a girl finds on May day will have as many eggs in it as she will have children.

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Bealtaine – May 1st

April 5, 2010 at 6:07 am (folkways, Holidays)
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Bealtaine is the Celtic feast day that marks the beginning of summer and the true end of winter.  (Beltane is the anglicized version of the name.)  Some may argue that the spring equinox is the end of winter.  Perhaps it is for you, but where I live, it is still a bit chilly in March, and this year, we got quite a bit of snow on the day of spring equinox!  And some may also say that the summer solstice is the first day of summer.  Again, where I live, it has been warm for quite a while by the time the summer solstice comes along– despite what is printed on your calendar, the summer solstice is Midsummer.

Now, back to Bealtaine–  In Irish mythology, Bealtaine was the day that the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived in Ireland.  It is one of the four festival days listed on the Coligny calendar, on the opposite side of the year from Samhain.  These four Celtic festival days, Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine, and Lughnasadh, they have their roots in the agricultural and pastoral cycles.  At Bealtaine, the herds were brought out to summer grazing lands.  The livestock were driven between two fires for purification from disease and as a way for the deities to bless the herds and insure fertility.
As for other customs of Bealtaine, there are so many, that I might be writing all day, but I will list a few here then go on to dispel some misconceptions…

Customs
~Hilltop gatherings- on Bealtaine Eve, folks gathered on hills to view the rising sun.
~Bealtaine sacred fires- great fires were kindled (with the wood of nine sacred trees) to bless the whole community- the people livestock, crops; the dying embers were tossed into the fields.  All hearth fires would be put out and then a new fire would be kindled using an ember from the Bealtaine fire.  People linked hands and danced around the flames, walked around, chanting prayers, and many jumped through the flames for luck and prosperity.  It was taboo to give away fire or food on Bealtaine.
~Offerings were made- some offerings were cast into the fire, and milk, custard, and ale were poured upon the ground.  (See “Survivals in Belief Among the Celts” by George Henderson p262.)
~A dangerous time, concerning fairies- the veil between this world and the Otherworld is thin at Bealtaine, as it is Samhain, it was a time that the fairies could cross more easily.  However, at Bealtaine, more so even than at other liminal times, the fairy race is dangerous and predatory- there is a greater risk of being taken.
~Magic dew- if you rise at dawn and bathe your face in the magical dew of Bealtaine, you will ensure lasting beauty and youthfulness.  Walking in the dew will keep your feet from getting sore.  Sprinkling people with water/dew is another popular May day custom.
~Flowers!-  gathered and left on doorsteps (or on doorknobs in May baskets), flower boughs hung over windows and doorways and petals strew over thresholds to deter fairies.  Flower wreaths were exchanged by sweethearts.  The luckiest flower of Bealtaine is the marsh marigold.  People dressed up in costumes and went in procession singing and dancing through town carrying boughs of flowers.

Misconceptions
~Origins of the name Bealtaine- contrary to popular thought, the name Bealtaine most likely does not refer to the god Belenus.  Bealtaine probably means bright fire or new fire.  Belenus was a Gaulish god, and it is not certain whether or not Bealtaine was observed in Gaul.
~There is no historical evidence of “the great rite” being a part of Celtic Bealtaine rituals.  Wiccans believe that Bealtaine is the time of year that “The Goddess” and “The God” consummate their passions.  Purification and fertility of land and livestock were the main focal points of Bealtaine in Celtic lands.  And, contrary to popular belief, handfastings took place at Lughnasadh, not Bealtaine.
~The Maypole was not an ancient Celtic tradition.  It is of German origin at dates back to the 16th century- and the kind with ribbons that are woven around is an even more recent variation.  The Celtic tradition is/was to decorate a May bush- a branch of piece of a tree (sometimes a living tree) is decorated with flowers and blown eggs.  Some of these decorate the inside of homes, some are set outside- that ones outside were danced around in the evening of Bealtaine.
~There are some other names (I’m not talking about alternative spellings) used for Bealtaine by some in the Neopagan community which don‘t really jive…  “Roodmas” is actually the Catholic holiday of the “finding of the cross”- it takes place on May 3rd and probably was established as a distraction from Bealtaine.  There’s a similar thing with “Lady Day”; it is a Catholic holiday, the “feast of the annunciation of the blessed virgin” and takes place on March 25th, not May 1st.  (Yes, and it probably was placed there to distract from some kind of spring equinox celebration taking place somewhere.)  My point is, these names, and other Catholic holiday names are often listed in Neopagan books and articles as alternate names for Celtic (and other polytheistic) holidays without any background on what they really mean.

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Bealtaine Songs

March 25, 2010 at 5:40 pm (Chants & Songs, folkways, Holidays)
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This first song, Thugamar Féin an Samhradh Linn, is the only traditional Irish Bealtaine song I’ve been able to find. It is on four recordings that I know of; Celtic For Kids by Barbary (click the link and then track 16 for a sound sample), Live in the Highlands by Maire Ni Chathasaigh, As Gaeilge by the Wolfe Tones (lisen to it here on youtube) and an English version of the song is on Heart is the Only Nation by Ruth Barrett and Cyntia Smith (titled “Summer, Summer”- a different version than the English lyrics given here).

Thugamar Féin an Samhradh Linn
- “We Have Brought the Summer with Us”

Thugamar féin an samhradh linn
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn
Samhradh buí ó luí na gréine
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn

Samhradh samhradh bainne na ngamhna
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn
Samhradh duilliúir thugamar an chraobh linn
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn

Bábóg na Bealtaine, maighdean an tSamhraidh
Suas gach cnoc is síos gach gleann
Cailíní maiseacha bán-gheala gléasta
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn

Cuileann is coll is trom is caorthann,
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn,
Is fuinnseag ghléigeal bhéil an Átha,
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn.

Thugamar féin an samhradh linn,
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn,
Thugamar linn é is cé bhainfeadh dínn é?
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn.

Now in English-

We brought the summer with us
We brought the summer with us;
Summer golden in the setting of the sun
We brought the summer with us.
Summer summer milk from the calves
We brought the summer with us
Summer greenery, we brought the branch with us
We brought the summer with us
The Mayday doll maiden of the summer
Up every hill down every glen
Graceful girls all dressed in white
We brought the summer with us
Holly and hazel and elder and rowan,
We brought the summer with us;
And bright ash-tree at the mouth of the Ford,
We brought the summer with us.
We brought the summer with us,
We brought the summer with us;
We brought it with us, and who’d take it from us?
We brought the summer with us.

Here are some May songs that I think are from England:

Hal-an-tow
 Take the scorn and wear the horns. It was a crest when you were born
Your father’s father wore it. And your father wore it too

Robin Hood and Little John have both gone to the fair-o
We shall to the merry green wood, to hunt the buck and hare-o

Hal-an-tow, jolly rumbelow
We were up long before the day-o
To welcome in the summertime
To welcome in the May-o
For summer is coming in
And winter’s gone away

Padstow Morning Song
Unite and unite, oh let us all unite
For summer is a’coming today
And whither we are going, we all will unite
In the merry month of May.
Oh, where are the young men that now here should dance
For summer is a’coming today
Well some there are in England and some are in France
In the merry month of May
Oh, where are the maidens that now here should sing
For summer is a’coming today
They’re all out in the meadows a flower gathering
In the merry month of May
The young men of Padstow they might if the would
For summer is a’coming today
They might have built a ship and gilded it with gold
In the merry month of May
Oh where is Saint George, oh where is he oh
He’s down in his longboat upon the salt sea oh
Up flies the kite, down falls the lark-o
And Ursula Birdwood, she had an old ewe
And she died in her park-o
With a merry ring and joyful spring
For summer is a’coming today
Oh happy are the little birds and merrily do they sing
In the merry morning of May
Unite and unite oh let us all unite
For summer is a’coming today
And whither we are going we all will unite
In the merry month of May
In the merry month of May

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The High Days of the Celtic Year

January 4, 2010 at 6:58 am (Holidays, spirituality)
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Many of us who were introduced to Paganism through some form of Wicca received an explanation of the generally accepted eight holidays most commonly observed by the majority of the Pagan community. Depending on your teacher, your group’s style, or the books you read, the background of these holidays may have been explained in depth or very little. Many Wiccan “how-to” books barely mention a specific deity name, and some groups I’ve done ritual with simply skim over deity invocations and the like.When I decided to explore Celtic Paganism in depth and learn more about the character of the deities and take part in the older traditions, many of these holidays developed a greater meaning for me. If you are new to all this, may it be the same for you in time…

For the ancient Celts, the year was divided into two seasons; these were gam, which meant winter -the dark half of the year, and sam, which was summer -the light half of the year.

At the beginning of the cycle is Samhain – it marks the end of the sam season and the beginning of the gam season. Taking place at the eve of November it is considered both a beginning and an end- the Celtic “New Year” and a time of remembrance of the ancestors. At the opposite of Samhain is Bealtaine at the eve of May ushering in the sam of the year.

The light and dark halves of the year, the sam and the gam, are further divided in two. These divisions are Imbolc at the beginning of February and Lughnasadh at the beginning of August.

I will talk more about these as each season approaches.

In the Celtic way of thinking, a day begins on the previous night- the eve. Everything begins in darkness. This is so true… think about the darkness of the womb, the blackness of space, the rich deep darkness of the soil.

Celtic feast days would traditionally last seven days- three days before, and three days after. Few people can take that much time to celebrate anything anymore. But if you think about it, this kind of gives some lee-way to planning a ritual. There has been at least two calendar changes since the Celtic feast days were established- after the Roman invasion, it was to the Julian calendar, then in the mid-18th century to the Gregorian calendar, which put everything 11 days before the “old reckoning”.

But originally, the holidays were not dates on a calendar, but changed from year to year in accordance with actual seasonal indicators like cycles of certain animals and plants, and subtle changes in weather patterns. (For example; Bealtaine was when the Hawthorne was in bloom.)

About the Equinoxes and Solstices

And so you may have noticed that the Celtic High Days, or Feast Days totaled four. There is less information to go on as to how the ancient Celts celebrated the solstices and equinoxes. Monuments like Newgrange and Stonehenge that were designed to align with the rising of the solstice sun were built before the Celts arrived on the scene, but may well have been used by them. However, it is evident that it wasn’t until later times that Celtic peoples started celebrating the solstices and equinoxes, and this seems to have been from Norse influence.

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Feast Day Bread

August 9, 2009 at 12:34 am (Food, Holidays)
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banockThe following recipe and it’s variations are the breads I make for the Celtic feast days.  They are not exactly traditional- the basic recipe was originally for “Bride cakes”, I varied it somewhat to my tastes.  Traditional bannock bread is a very basic biscuit-like bread, so if you leave out the sweetener, this recipe is more authentic.  Also, it is traditional to not use any metal in the making of bannocks.   The Bealtaine Bannocks custom of throwing a knob of bread over your shoulder can be found in “Survivals in Belief Among the Celts” by George Henderson, page 262.  Bannocks are also eaten a Lughnasadh, however there is no variation to be noted.  Also, Barm Brack is usually a yeast bread- I use this recipe because I’m lazy.

Brigit’s (Sweet) Bannock
½ cup butter
¼ cup honey (optional)
2 cups oat or wheat flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup chopped dates (optional)
¼ cup (or more) buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and honey together.  Mix the dry ingredients together and add the dates, stirring to coat them with flour.  Stir dry ingredients into the butter-honey mixture and add enough buttermilk to make a dough.  Roll into a ball and flatten onto a greased cookie sheet for one regular sized bannock, or divide into two balls and flatten bannocks onto cookie sheet.  With a knife, mark the bannock(s) with an equal-armed sun cross.  Bake 15 minutes or until slightly golden.  Serve for the Celtic feast day of Imbolc.

Bealtaine Bannocks
Knead the bannock dough in your hands into a round loaf.  Pinch up nine knobs on the top of it. Dip the bannock into caudle before baking. How to use the knobs: while looking into the Bealtaine fire, break off a knob from the bread and throw it over your shoulder and say what spirit you are offering it to and why. (For example: “I give this to fox, so that he doesn’t eat my hens.”)

Samhain Barm Bracks
Prepare as for sweet bannocks, but to dry ingredients add½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.  Wrap the following items in wax paper and fold into the dough before baking: a ring, a coin, a stick, a pea, and a thimble.  This is a divination to be done at Samhain.  Whoever gets the ring in her or his slice of bread will be married.  The coin represents riches, the pea- poverty, and the thimble- spinsterhood (or marrying a spinster).

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