Introduction
May brings joy and hope to many of us, as it signals the beginning of much warmer seasons. In this month, we first see flowers in full bloom and baby animals gaining vigor. May is also the third of seven months to be 31 days long.
May Day is typically celebrated on the 1st of the month for most countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Conversely, for the Southern Hemisphere, May marks the middle of autumn with a rapidly cooling climate. In the Southern Hemisphere, May is equivalent to the month of November in the North and vice versa.
If you are born in May, you may be interested to learn about your birth month gemstones, birth month flowers, and the zodiac signs you may be a part of. Otherwise, you may wish to know about May zodiac sign compatibility, including May Taurus compatibility. There is so much fascinating history about the beautiful month of May that it would be a shame to overlook it. Read on if you want to learn more!
The History of May
May, named “Maius” in Latin, earned its name from the Greek goddess Maia. Maia was the Greek goddess of plants and ensured the growth of successful harvests. As the weather starts to really heat up in May, a goddess of nurture, fruitfulness, and abundance couldn’t be more fitting to rule over this month.
In a similar vein, May’s full moon is called a “Flower Moon” in honor of the explosion of blooms at this time of year. The Flower Moon also went by a different name in Anglo-Saxon times though, named the “Milk Moon”, honoring the three times a day that cows were milked during the month.
Unsurprisingly, May has long been seen as a time of abundance, health and productivity as we finally lose the last cool grips of spring. In fact, May is often looked at as the transition between spring and summer and, as such, can have quite varied temperatures when comparing the beginning and end of the month. May is the month of optimism and excitement for the warm summer months ahead.
The Origins of May Day
May Day is a festival ringing in the start of summer and is most commonly celebrated on May 1st, a point in time roughly halfway between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. May Day has European origins with its roots in ancient Rome, derived from the Roman festival of “Floralia” which celebrated fertility, nature and growth.
Floralia was likely in honor of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. However, May Day may have had an earlier history with ties to the Celtic festival of “Beltane”; another day signaling the end of colder months and the beginning of summer.
Beltane placed greater emphasis on animals, though, with the festival marking the best time for animals to start being let out into fields to graze. Interestingly, many more May Day festivals exist around the world that usually consist of flower gathering, weaving floral garlands, bonfires, crowning the “May Queen” and dancing around the maypole. Simply put, May Day is a time to celebrate the fruitfulness of early summer and spend time with loved ones out in the warmer weather.
Gemstone for May Birthdays
Birthstones first became a concept in the 16th Century in Eastern Europe. Individuals at this time believed that those who wore or carried the stone associated with their birth month would receive good luck, protection and shielding from negative energy.
The tradition has since spread across much of the world, and people nowadays still enjoy both wearing and gifting their loved ones with their specific special birth gems. With that in mind, May’s birthstone is the luxurious emerald.
Emerald
Emerald is a truly precious gemstone of immense value. For one, emeralds were one of Cleopatra’s firm favorites, and she both wore the jewel and adorned her palaces with it. Romans also had a certain fondness for emeralds and dedicated them to the goddess of love, femininity, and beauty, Venus.
So, for thousands of years, emeralds have been revered as an incredibly regal gem being associated with wisdom, power, maturity, and strength. Some historical records even state the emeralds were viewed as prophetic tools and shields against negative energy. In fact, one custom tells of the importance of placing an emerald under the tongue of an enemy. By doing so, wearers were believed to spout the truth.
Similarly, other legends state that simply wearing emeralds can improve one’s confidence and speech, again alluding to the gem’s importance in the world of leaders and emperors. So, if you feel you need a little boost of empowerment, wearing some emerald jewelry may be the way to do that.
May Birth Month Flower
The notion of birth month flowers is thought to have originated in Roman times, with Romans gifting the birth month flower as a birthday gift to the gods. Nowadays, knowing the birth month flower of our friends and family is a nice way to add an extra personal touch to an already stunning birthday bouquet or celebratory wreath. May is lucky in that it has two birth month flowers, the beautiful lily-of-the-valley and hawthorn.
Lily-of-the-Valley
Lily-of-the-valley is a beautiful, dainty flower that is very symbolic and bears a couple of different meanings. Firstly, their most famous connotation is that of love. As they are a spring flower, lily-of-the-valleys are seen as a good luck charm for new relationships and are often found in the bouquets of brides.
In stark contrast, however, the flower is sometimes associated with death and funerals. This is likely due to their downturned, drooping stature that resembles someone in mourning. Either way, the little white flowers of this plant are pure and bell shaped, so make the perfect addition to any church service, be it a wedding or a funeral.
Hawthorn
Hawthorns are unique birth flowers in that they are more of a bush than a flower. That said, in bloom, the hawthorn plant bears a lovely little white flower which is replaced by a bright red berry at the start of autumn.
Due to its beauty, the hawthorn has connotations of hope and optimism. The vast swathes of white flowers appear on the shrub in May, and thus signals the beginning of warmer temperatures and better harvests.
However, despite the beauty of hawthorns in spring, most varieties have thorns and with this, comes an association of protection and strength. As such, adorning your home with a hawthorn plant serves as both a symbol of spring optimism and safeguarding of the family.
What are the May Birth Signs?
If you are a May baby, you will either be Taurus or Gemini. Taureans are born between April 20th and May 20th and are a stubborn yet loving Earth sign. They are also known to be creatures of habit and lovers of luxury, with an upfront manner. Taureans love nothing more than popping a bottle of champagne and enjoying the company of close ones.
Gemini, on the other hand, are far more energetic and whimsical. This zesty, youthful sign has a knack for communication and is born between May 21st and June 21st, making them part of the Air elemental group. This makes Geminis big thinkers, but erratic and poor organizers.
May Zodiac Sign Compatibility
When looking at May star sign compatibility, the main two zodiac signs to look at are Taurus and Gemini. Both May Taurus compatibility and Gemini Taurus compatibility are strong, and well worth exploring if your birthdate falls within the specific dates.
Taurus Love Matches
Taurus is the sign of stability, comfort and loyalty. As an Earth sign, they are stubborn and set in their ways, which can be frustrating for a partner, but this doesn’t mean Taureans don’t know how to have fun. They are in their element when entertaining guests, eating good food and drinking good wine.
That said, Taureans like to keep their circles small, as they have no time for pretension. They are the type of friends who will usually opt for a cozy night at home over a crazy outing to the club with a bunch of mutual friends whom they barely know. While not for everyone, these traits are admirable as they reveal a person who does not live to impress others. Taureans simply do not care about public perception and live only to please themselves and their loved ones.
However, when it comes to romance, Taureans are known to indulge in the courting rituals; they absolutely adore candlelit dinners, fancy weekends away and extravagant gifts. They feel most appreciated when their partners go this extra mile, so bear this in mind when dating a Taurus.
Cancer and Taurus Love Compatibility
Since Taurus lacks Cancer's heightened emotional sensitivity, they form a solid relationship with balance and synergy. On the one hand, Taurus represents security, intimacy and acts of service, whereas Cancer represents sensuality, emotion, and devotion.
Taureans often have trouble opening up emotionally, but Cancer is skilled at drawing out their vulnerability and affectionate sides. This allows the two to have one of the most touching partnerships seen in the zodiac, with each partner bouncing off each other harmoniously.
Capricorn and Taurus Love Compatibility
Capricorn and Taurus make a good couple under the right circumstances. The chemistry between this couple is often sudden and inexplicable, causing them to feel drawn to one another at the very first meeting. Not only this, but Capricorn also appreciates Taurus’ calmer temperament as the two share similarly mellow ways, while Taurus appreciates Capricorn’s diligence and practical nature.
As mutual workaholics, both signs fare well financially and can enjoy a good quality of life together in a partnership.
Gemini Love Matches
It’s pretty hard to pin down a Gemini. They are witty, intelligent and constantly on their toes, so long-term relationships and settling down usually falls to their bottom of their priority list. Geminis are also incredibly shrewd and can detect when someone is being disingenuous from a mile away.
They value clear communication as much as most other signs value physical affection, and find themselves more interested in potentials who can challenge them intellectually than any other kind. As such, other signs often find Geminis and their astuteness particularly mesmerizing - they have a mysterious and transient nature that leaves people wanting more.
They also have a flirtatious streak and know exactly how to use their charm to get what they want. Naturally, therefore, it’s not uncommon for a Gemini to leave you high and dry and break your heart. Commitment does not come naturally for this sign, so potential partners need to be on the same wavelength if it is to work for them both. Repetition is one of the biggest fears of a Gemini, so finding ways to avoid falling into this trap in a relationship is a must.
Gemini and Aquarius Love Compatibility
An instantaneous and powerful attraction exists between Aquarius and Gemini. As they are both Air signs, the intellect and wit they both bring to the table is truly mesmerizing. Each partner possesses the ability to stimulate the other's mind and soul in a way that many other signs would struggle to achieve.
Every day these two discuss current events, debate and philosophize, coming to interesting conclusions and making grand plans. They have a way of socializing well with each other and are often the life and soul of the party. What a wonderful team.
Gemini and Aries Love Compatibility
Aries and Gemini form a passionate and tender partnership. In the same way that fire cannot burn without air, Aries needs the fun and spontaneity of Gemini to flourish. This couple is full of energy, constantly keeping the other on their toes.
Their laid back personalities, combined with their love of adventure, create a unique balance that most couples can only dream of. This pair is endlessly entertaining and can teach each other many valuable lessons.
Conclusion
Do you still want to know more about the birth month of May? There are many resources at Mysticsense that can guide you with your learning and provide insight for any other questions you may have. Get started learning more about May at Mysticsense today!
