It’s time for the fifth month of the year, almost which is May. May was named after the Greek goddess Maia. In Roman mythology, she symbolizes fertility. This is the month where we finally see things in full bloom. Temperatures are on the rise and the days are longer. Typically, many occasions are held outdoors in May like concerts, barbecues and outdoor activities are in full swing.
In Ireland, a festival called Beltane occurs on May the first and is known as a Gaelic May Day Festival. It falls about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice and is an important part of Irish mythology. It marks the beginning of summer when the cattle were driven out of the pastures. Some of the biggest aspects of this holiday are bonfires, rituals and other customs that were meant to protect the people, their cattle and their crops.
For those celebrating May birthdays you simply cannot go awry with the claddagh designs that we have selected for you! The first is the Claddagh birthstone ring for May. This ring is sterling silver with the green emerald stone as the centerpiece. The three factors of all our claddagh rings are present which are two hands, a crown and a heart which signify love loyalty and friendship.
May’s birthstone is the emerald after all and it is the perfect birth stone indeed. The emerald signifies rebirth and it is said that whoever wears this stone will be endowed with foresight, good fortune, and youth. The earliest emeralds were found in Egypt, however most emeralds today can be found elsewhere like in Zambia, Brazil, and Afghanistan.
Our second selection for May birthdays is the Claddagh Birthstone Pendant for May. This delicate pendant is very classic and ideal for the perfect birthday gift. It is made of sterling silver and set with the three claddagh features. If you aren’t sure which item you like best, you can get them both!
So while May already highlights an amazing birthstone and has many wonderful qualities to it, it may also interest a shopper to look into finding the perfect flower to accompany it which is for this month, the lily of the valley. The lily of the valley represents sweetness and renewed happiness. The phrase that went with this flower was “let us make up” as the flower signified purity and humility.
Originally this flower was used medically to treat memory problems, restore speech and to treat gout. Another purpose that this flower specialized in would be for when those who would spread it on the back of the neck and on the forehead, it was said to give that person good common sense. Depending on who you ask this flower about, they may say that either Mary or Jacob’s tears were depicted as the symbol. Folk legend says that Mary cried and her tears turned into lily of the valley when she was at the cross and also for Christ’s second coming which is where Jacob’s tears comes from.
