The first seasonal festival we celebrate is Lammas, or Lughnasadh, around the 1st or 2nd of February. It’s the first of three harvest festivals and it is the time to celebrate the bounty of life. Lammas is celebrated at the midpoint between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Autumnal Equinox (Mabon)
What is Lammas?
Lammas is a festival dedicated to the first fruits of the harvest. It’s a time for gratitude and reflection on the abundance of the Earth. Historically, it was a time for communities to come together, share food, and give thanks for the grains, fruits, and vegetables that would sustain them through the coming months. It’s a celebration of abundance, community, and the cyclical nature of life.
The name “Lammas” comes from the Old English word “hlaf-mas,” meaning “loaf mass,” which relates to the custom of baking bread from the first grain of the season. In its spiritual context, Lammas also represents the beginning of the transition from the full growth of summer to the quieter, more introspective energies of autumn.
Lammas marks the time when the Sun God’s power begins to decline, the days are slowly getting shorter. The goddess prepares for his passing at the upcoming Samhain.
Lammas Correspondents
Names: Lammas, Lughnasa, Lughnasadh, Bread day, Festival of Bread, Festival of First fruits, First harvest, Hlaef-mass
Deities: All grain and agricultural deities, Mother Goddesess, Father Gods
Colours: Gold, orange, red, yellow, tan
Symbols: Acorns, agricultural tools, all grains, apples, cats, bulls, boars, corn, cornucopia, hay bales, scarecrows, seeds, sun wheels, wheat
Foods: All types of grains, breads, rolls, apples, outdoor cooking, berries, corn, locally ripe produce, pies, jams, toffee
Drinks: Beer, cider
Things to do at Lammas
- Visit your local farmers market and buy in season fruits and vegetables
- Decorate with sun symbols
- Cooking with in-season foods
- Go outside and recharge with the sun’s energy (make sure to wear sunscreen and don’t get burnt!)
- Have a bonfire (if it’s not a total fire ban)
- Go berry picking
- Make jam from your in season fruit or berries
- Floral baths with summer flowers
- Bake bread
- Make a corn doll
- Do a prosperity ritual
- Tend to your garden
- Light brown or yellow candles
- Dry herbs
- Perform a gratitude ritual
- Have a harvest meal with family and friends.
- Donate or volunteer at your local animal shelter
- Have a go at making cider
What we’re doing.
We celebrated Lammas this year with some gardening and planting the plants I bought with some birthday money, bread making, a roast lamb and fresh vegetables for tea and a hearty apple crumble for dessert.
K & I made prosperity jars and added them to our altars.
We had planned a bit of a fire pit in the back yard but it’s a total fire ban due to a heatwave over the weekend so we lit candles instead while giving thanks for all we are grateful for.
