Faery Libation

[dragenfly]

Libations always call for mostly milk, bread, and butter. Can you use margarine without getting these little ones bothered. When the offering has been set out how long do you leave it out and how then do you dispose of it? Has anyone ever encountered the wrong entities doing these offerings I read of good and BAD fae????????

[Taliesyn]

well, i am biased- I'm a chef, and I say "just say no to margarine"... I think if you prepare your offering with love and respect, it will be perfect- the Fae ( and all spirits) take the essence of the food, not it's physicality.

[redlady]

Well, this year for Midsummer we offered pink champagne,we thought they might like something a little different :floating:

[dragenfly]

Thanks guys

[Wascally Wabbit]

I believe that libations are liquid, mostly alcoholic. Perhaps you mean offerings? If so I would not use margarine or eat it myself, for that matter. A lot of these creatures are vegans in sympathy and I might leave them some vegetarian treats anyway, if I did.

[Hope]

umm i would NOT use the words little critters


love
hope

[banondraig]

umm i would NOT use the words little critters


love
hope

ditto, and i'm not a faery, but if i got pink champagne last year, and margarine this year, i'd be mad!

milk is a popular offering for faeries. most folks leave it out in a bowl. if you're set on a butter-type thing, you could use clarified butter. you can either buy it at an asian or middle eastern market, where it will called "ghee" (there are several kinds of ghee, it should say which is which on the package.) or make some yourself. you melt the butter and strain off the little opaque clumps, which are pretty much pure cholesterol anyway.

please note: i don't know of anyone who has tried this before, so i can't promise they will like it.

[The Renegade Divo]

It's probably easier, and a lot more respectful, if you just went down to the grocery store and buy a cube of plain butter (it's extremely easy to find).

Like someone has stated above, they take the essence of the food, and the energy of your kindness. They would totally know if it was a half assed attempt.

[Fideal]

I usually use honey. I leave it on little plates that are placed on my windowsill on full moons.

[Raivynne]

I have a question. When you leave the offering, I know they take the essence, but how do you know they've taken it? Is there a way to tell? Like, would the flavor be gone, or what? I've always wondered this.

Back to the regular topic, I would leave real butter, just to be safe. You don't want to offend them.

[Fideal]

I was just reading an article at IMBAS that mentioned this:


And what of the Sidhe? Ask the kids. Is there a fairy mound or fairy wood nearby? Go out walking when the moon is full and bright and bring them gifts of feathers, bright colored things, milk and honey, or a tot of whiskey if they prefer. There are those who point out to us that the land spirits here are those whom the Native Americans knew, and they prefer corn meal or tobacco, berries, shiny things, but NEVER alcohol. The nature spirits are the spirits of plants and animals, as well as the spirits of place and the sidhe-folk. Your bird feeder can become a place of offering to them, especially if you can put a deer-lick or the like nearby. If there is an interesting rock in your yard make an altar of it and leave pretty things or food offerings there for the critters. Some of your food leftovers can become offerings for the nature spirits, who will accept them in their form as ravens or crows or starlings, squirrels and cats and raccoons. Why not? Do we not share meat with the gods, offering them the parts of a meal they can "eat" but consuming the flesh on their behalf?


Interesting that it says not to offer alchohol. It doesn't say why, either. Anybody heard this before?

[dragenfly]

I have a question. When you leave the offering, I know they take the essence, but how do you know they've taken it? Is there a way to tell? Like, would the flavor be gone, or what? I've always wondered this.

Back to the regular topic, I would leave real butter, just to be safe. You don't want to offend them.
IIIIIIIII Know that is a good question I am glad you asked that way I dont have to post again with that question. I think I will just leave butter and Milk when I finally decide to it. I have a good habbit of studying these things before I go and envoke someone, dont want to be rubbing the wee folk the wrong way I read their very sensitive little ones.

What do you do with the offering once you know it was taken how do you dispose of it???

[zakzekezedd]

Oh well...the local fairy folk seem to be happy with cookies and a bit of brandy.....and some of my favorite stones. (grumble, grumble.......but that's another story...)....I'd venture that it's the thought that counts as much as anything. As with so many things magical your intent is the most important ingredient....and I have a squirrel and blue jay in the backyard who are quite fond of cookies and probably the brandy tooo.

[skilly-nilly]

Interesting that it says not to offer alchohol. It doesn't say why, either. Anybody heard this before?
What it says is:

...the Sidhe...bring them gifts of feathers, bright colored things, milk and honey, or a tot of whiskey if they prefer. The land spirits here are those whom the Native Americans knew, and they prefer corn meal or tobacco, berries, shiny things, but NEVER alcohol.

2 different peoples, neh?

The Gentry have always been known to enjoy alcoholic bevridges---it's a part of the culture they act in. Perhaps the author/s of the quoted bit assume (or know) that 'the land spirits whom the Native Americans knew' do not want alcohol because it's not a part of the culture they interact with but actually a part of the breaking down of that culture.

I mostly put out oatcakes, but for Litha we left Remy Martin in a min shooter.....skilly-nilly

[Convallaria]

I stick to honey or milk soaked bread as an offering, and sometimes a bit of red wine. And I never throw out the physical remnence. I leave it out in my back yard, or scatter it in the gardens so that birds, or squirrils, or raccoons and foxes etc, may eat it.

[HorseCrow]

Sweetened milk is the offering I've had the best results with.

[banondraig]

Sweetened milk is the offering I've had the best results with.

interesting. what do you sweeten it with?