[Scaryfatmaniffer]

you also know what I,m like 

[ryan666]

I agree to a year would be pretty awsome!

[Artemisia]

You know what I'm like too ...
Oxford English Dictionary (1982 edition)
Beltane (be-lten, with a circumflex over the final e). Adopted in lowland Scotch from Gaelic  bealltainn, bealtuinn (in Irish bealltaine, Manx boaltinn, boaldyn)the Celtic name for the first of May, the beginning of summer. Earliest written form belltaine, belltine in Cormac's glossary (9th to 12th century). 

I thought Beltane was the Spring exquinox - but wouldn't that be in March? I'm sure it has a celtic name. Come on Chris and Gary, rack those brains.

I wonder what the collective noun for a gathering of archaic geeks is?

Supposed to be searching net for ideas on how to teach 8 year olds how to understand concept of 'more than' and 'less than'. So far my attempts have failed- but then you lot distracted me with something much more interesting. Ho hum, back to ideas for fusing a few more synapses in their young brains.

Two events a year would be great.
When do you want the £15 Chris?

[asamoth]

Beltane, Bealtaine (Irish Gaelic), Bealltainn (Scottish Gaelic), the month of May, or the May Day festival, marks the beginning of summer, or the growing time. Walpurgisnacht (in Germany) Roodmas (Medieval Church’s name) Cetsamhain (‘opposite Samhain’) and Nos Galon Mai (May Day Welsh) are other generally accepted names for this time. The lighting of ‘Bel-fire’ or need-fires was an accepted tradition for this time, the cutting of May bough or brushes from the white thorn (hawthorn) and several other rites and rituals were performed at this time. Though all that does seem a little redundant now Artemisia has posted.

Ostara, Earrach, Alban Eilir, Lady Day, Festival of Trees is 19-22 of March (spring equinox) if that helps.

The idea of a spring-summer event appeals to me, I am sure it would to quiet a few people as does the Samhain event

[Artemisia]

Thanks Asamoth, maybe I've only ever known the Spring Equinox as ...Spring Equinox. I don't recognise the other names, apart from Lady Day - does that have a pagan root?

[The Darklord]

Interestingly Artie I have heard of some customs refering to boxing day as "ladies day" because the women had worked hard during christmas day so the men took their turn with the cooking and washing up etc the next day.  I think its a more modern folk custom (probably 19/20th century).

And Chris I do indeed know what your like which is why its fun to have a little poke at you now and again (panthera Leo being my finest I believe). 

For what its worth the spelling I tend to go with is Beltane but I am not pretending any cultural, historical or lingusitic authourity for it, its just the most ergonomic version in my opinion.  More importantly I think a second event would be great.

[asamoth]

Ostara, comes from a Germanic Goddess, which was theorised to have been whom the Easter Festival was named (German: Ostern) Which in turn ties to Eostur-monath (Anglo-Saxon: Month of April) which was named after the Goddess Eostur, this then ties into the Easter Bunny or March hare.

Earrach (Scottish Gaelic) means literally Spring.

Alban Eilir (modern druid) light of spring. While we do not know how the Celts observed this event, it is known that times of transition, or in-between times, were considered sacred in Celtic culture.

Lady Day seems to have moved around rather a lot in different time periods, in England it was New Years Day, up until 1752. Now accepted to be the Feast of Annunciation (25 March)

Like many of the neo-pagan terms and names, they seem to have come from a variety of sources, leading to a lot of confusion. Finding a definitive answer becomes almost impossible without some serious research into the subject. For example, while checking the information here I have found Eostur listed as the Germanic goddess instead of Ostara, which could infer that they are variant spellings or that one of the references is inaccurate. With the Celts having so few written records of there own and information not coming from unbiased sources… It becomes extremely problematic to know what was or wasn’t really done in the past or what terms were used. Hopefully this little ramble isn’t too dull.

[The Darklord]

Lets face it there is enough confusion over what to call festivals in our own time, no reason to assume there has been a big change really.  Christmas, xmas, yuletide and seasons greetings all amount to the same thing yet sound pretty different no?  Personally I don't think its so much what you call the major feast days thats as significant as the fact that most (european centred) traditions share them.  They are there for a reason even if only for the sake of the  good old human tradition of letting off some steam.

Of course those bloody victorians muddied a lot of the waters by making up reasons for names when they werent sure of the answers.

[Scaryfatmaniffer]

I agree wholeheartedly.

I feel the Victorians have been much maligned by "real" historians namely because they romanticised stuff for essentially their own stories.

The Victorians were absolutely excellent if you just want a different kind of mythology

and what is "real"? - what did the celts/romans/vikings/etc believe? - they would probably be as mortally offended by modern historians analysing their faith scientifically and without belief than they would be by the Victorian Romanticism, in the same way as modern Christians, Jews and Muslims are.

[The Darklord]

I agree wholeheartedly.

I feel the Victorians have been much maligned by "real" historians namely because they romanticised stuff for essentially their own stories.

The Victorians were absolutely excellent if you just want a different kind of mythology

and what is "real"? - what did the celts/romans/vikings/etc believe? - they would probably be as mortally offended by modern historians analysing their faith scientifically and without belief than they would be by the Victorian Romanticism, in the same way as modern Christians, Jews and Muslims are.

Agreed, if as you say you just want a different kind of mythology, its pretending its any more than that that pisses me off.  Just as when modern historians forget that they are dealing in ideas and evidence not cold hard facts

[Scaryfatmaniffer]

Slight modification to the original plot device - it will still be a viking thong etc. but will be set on one of the small Farne Islands (not actually Lindisfarne but very close) off the Northumbrian coast and you will all have arrived by boat for the feast.

Also can people actually start getting their fingers out and giving me numbers.
As in for definite - Rob and Alison have said a definite no

Gary, Christine, Alex and Ryan have said a definite yes - Ryan has said potentially about four more others but not 100% - anyone else please make a decision so I can gauge amounts of food needed.

[Artemisia]

A viking thong eh? Will you be wanting me to provide a phys-rep? I won't be going to see Apocalyptica (heavy rock, nordic cellists) until Dec, but, if needed, I'm sure I can whip up a little sealskin number before hand...aaah...vikings.

[madarcher]

Are viking thongs made in the same style as viking helmets  then?? Could be painful, maybe it's just as well I can't come..!

[The Darklord]

Are viking thongs made in the same style as viking helmets  then?? Could be painful, maybe it's just as well I can't come..!

What? very practical and sturdy with no horns? sounds a bit of a passion killer to me. 

[asamoth]

It doesn't look like I will be able to attend, so I will miss the modeling of the viking thongs.

As to the practicality of the helmet, surely that should be a different conversation? Though a very apt location.