Lughnasadh - The First Harvest in the Wheel of the Year
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Lughnasadh, named after the Irish mythological figure Lugh, marks the first grain harvest and is celebrated on August 1st. The festival honors Lugh's foster mother, Tailtiu, who died from clearing land for agriculture. Traditionally, grains like wheat, barley, oats, and corn, harvested in the morning, were baked into bread by evening and shared with the community. This time of year symbolizes gratitude, abundance, and preparation for the coming seasons.
Symbols of Lughnasadh include sunflowers, sheaves of grain, and harvest tools such as scythes. The colors associated with this festival are bold shades of yellow, bright greens, and orange, reflecting the vibrancy of mid to late summer. Stones like citrine, peridot, carnelian, gold topaz, clear quartz, and amber are also linked to Lughnasadh.
Lughnasadh can be seen as a forerunner of modern agricultural fairs and festivals, with a focus on the abundance of the harvest season. To celebrate Lughnasadh today, many people bake bread and share it with others, honoring the traditional grain celebration and giving thanks for the abundance in their lives. If baking isn't possible, using store-bought bread is perfectly acceptable. Another way to observe this festival is by decorating an altar with Lughnasadh symbols, colors, and elements.
Spending time in meditation at the altar can help connect with one's inner spirit, reflect on current blessings, and set intentions for the future. The flexibility of Lughnasadh allows for spreading out the celebration throughout the month, adapting to individual schedules and preferences. This approach removes the pressure of having a single, specific celebration on August 1st.
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A New Litha Printable
Hello Friends,
I hope this finds you well. I’m sitting on my porch as I write to you, enjoying the warm sunshine on my toes and the smell of cherry blossoms in the air. The Wheel of the Year has turned more fully toward summer and as if in a coordinated dance, all the spring buds have burst into their summer bloom. The lilacs are swaying in the breeze and the dandelions are growing in wild abandon along the southside of my old farmhouse. The rhubarb leaves are bigger than my hand now and a very showy grapevine is climbing up the side of the porch, preening in the late afternoon sunshine. All the fiddleheads have unfurled into tall lacy ferns and the trees are dressed in their summer finery. A party is about to begin and we’re all invited.
I’ve been puttering today and writing this letter is about the only productive thing I plan to do. I stood barefoot in my shaggy grass, feeling the earth support me - a reminder we are all connected. Fat bees flit from one clossom to another and my cats lay in the shade, utterly helpless against the approaching summer humidity. I hope, dear friends, that the beauty of the season is with you.
It’s hard to believe there is only a month until the summer solstice. To celebrate the season of Litha, this week’s free printable is a brand new Litha Print. I hope you like it!
Have you started planning for Litha yet? I’d love to know how you are going to celebrate the Summer Solstice, in the comments below.
The History of Lughnasadh & Lammas
Lammas or Lughnasadh? What’s the difference? Ancient Celts and Anglo Saxons celebrated the first harvest of grain…
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In the Wheel of the Year August 1st is the sabbat holiday of Lughnasadh, named for the Celtic Sun God, Lugh. August 1 is also known as Lammas, an Anglo Saxon tradition celebrating the first grain harvest of the growing season. Modern pagan groups including Wiccan and practicing witches often observe both of these ancient traditions, melding elements from each into a modern day Lughnasadh celebrations.
A History of Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is named after Lugh, a prominent figure from Irish mythology. Because ancient Celtic people did not have written history, much of Irish mythology is interpreted through the writings of Romans and later on, Christian monks. The Roman emperor, Julius Caesar likened Lugh to the Roman deity Mercury and as such Lugh is considered a warrior and portrayed as the god of craftsmanship, including blacksmithing and wheel making.
One version of the origins of Lughnasadh is that Lugh wanted to throw a festival to honor his foster mother Tailtiu, who died of exhaustion from clearing the plains in Ireland for agriculture. The other origin story is that Lughnasadh was a celebration of Lugh’s marriage. The festival coincided with the first grain harvest of the growing season. Grains like wheat, barley, oats and corn were vital for surviving the long cold winters of the Northern Hemisphere. So it makes sense that the first harvest of grain was a cause for celebration, with or without the Irish Sun God. On August 1 grain would be harvested in the dawn hours and by evening it was baked into a loaf of bread to be shared by the community.
A History of Lammas
Like Yule, Imbolc and Ostara, in certain parts of Europe the ancient celebration of Lughnasadh and the first grain harvest was melded with Christianity during the early middle ages, as the influence of the Christian church spread. Early Christians would take the first loaf of bread from the harvest to the local church and be blessed by a priest, leading to the Old English term Hlaf Maesse, or Loaf Mass, which is where the term Lammas comes from.
Lughnasadh Symbols & Elements
As part of the Wheel of the Year, Lughnasadh is associated with symbols of mid and late summer. Sunflowers, sheaves of grain, and harvest tools such as scythes are all symbolize Lughnasadh. Colors associated with Lughnasadh are drawn largely from nature, including bold shades of yellow, bright greens and orange. Stones associated with Lughnasadh include citrine, peridot, carnelian, gold topaz, clear quartz, and amber.
Celebrating Lughnasadh Today
Lughnasadh, and later on Lammas, are both forerunners of the modern county agricultural fairs and festivals. They are more like seasons than a specific holiday or event such as Litha and the Summer Solstice or Mabon and the Autumn Equinox. Thinking about Lughnasadh in this way takes the pressure off of doing one specific celebration on August 1. You can spread out the fun through the month, or celebrate when it works for your schedule.
There are many ways to celebrate Lughnasadh today. Baking bread and sharing with others is a popular way to honor the traditional grain celebration, giving thanks for the abundance in your life. If you’re not a baker or just don’t have the time, there is nothing wrong with using a store-bought loaf of bread instead. Remember the Wheel of the Year isn’t about doing things perfectly; the true magick comes from the intentions you set forth as you practice and celebrate.
Another way to celebrate Lughnasadh on a more personal note is by decorating an altar with Lughnasadh symbols, colors and elements. Taking time to set up your altar and then spending time in meditation offers a way to connect with your inner spirit and take stock of what you have and think about what you’d like to invite into your life. It is also just a great way to slow down from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Gathering with friends and families for a Lughnasadh potluck is also a fun way to celebrate the high point of summer. Along with freshly baked bread, other popular Lughnasadh foods include blackberries, early apples, corn, grains like quinoa, oats or barley and wine and beer. Again, if you are not into spending a day in the kitchen cooking, pick up some premade items from the grocery store. I love incorporating items I don’t usually buy during the rest of the year into my Lughnasadh dinners such as hearty artisan bread from a local bakery, locally made beers from a small batch brewery and rich wines flavored with late summer fruits. These simple items are an easy way to elevate a regular dinner into something special. Grab the Free Lughnasadh Celebration Guide in the Mabon House Members Library.