“Beltane, like Samhain, is a time of “no time” when the veils between the
two worlds are at their thinnest. No time is when the two worlds intermingle
and unite and the magic abounds! It is the time when the Faeries return
from their winter respite, carefree and full of faery mischief and faery
delight. On the night before Beltane, in times past, folks would place rowan
branches at their windows and doors for protection, many otherworldly
occurrences could transpire during this time of “no time”. Traditionally on the
Isle of Man, the youngest member of the family gathers primroses on the eve before Beltane and throws the flowers at the door of the home for protection. In Ireland it is believed that food left over from May Eve must not be eaten, but rather buried or left as an offering to the faery instead. Much like the tradition of leaving of whatever is not harvested from the fields on Samhain, food on the time of no time is treated with great care.