A History of Lughnasadh
Disclaimer: This website uses affiliate links, meaning: at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate or other affiliate program participant, I earn from qualifying purchases. Mabon House only features products that I believe in and use myself. Thank you!
Tip: If you’d prefer to support local retailers in your area, independent booksellers can often order specific books for you and have them delivered to the store for pick up, for the same price as ordering online.
Lughnasadh is the first of three autumn celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. A cross-quarter day, Lughnasadh is celebrated on August 1 (though some celebrate on August 5th when the sun reaches 15 degrees Leo). Named for the Celtic God Lugh, Lughnasadh was later known as Lammas by early Christians. Many modern Lughnasadh traditions are rooted in the ancient customs associated with the first harvest of grain. Marking the midpoint of summer, Lughnasadh is a good time to slow down, reflect and think about the last turn in the Wheel of the Year.
Early Celtic Traditions
Lughnasadh is named for the ancient Celtic God Lugh, who is thought to be an older personification of the Celtic god Bel / Baal (for whom Beltane is named for). Both deities are associated with fire and the sun. In ancient Celtic culture Lughnasadh was a time to start preparing for winter, when the first harvest of grain was cut and vegetables and fruits preserved. Harvest festivals were popular during the period between Lughnasadh and Mabon. People would gather for celebration, games and to trade their produce and wares. In her book Modern Guide to Witchcraft, author Skye Alexander points out that the tradition of harvest festivals lives on through the many rural state and county agricultural fairs throughout the United States.
As Christianity spread into the British Isles beginning around the sixth century, Lughnasadh eventually became known as Lammas, which means loaf mass. This name referred to the first baking of bread of the new harvest, which would be brought to the local parish church to be blessed by the priest. Read more about the history of Lughnasadh & Lammas
Cross-Quarter Days
Lughnasadh is one of the cross-quarter days in the Celtic calendar. A cross-quarter day marks the mid-point between the summer and winter solstices and the spring and autumn equinoxes (also called Quarter Days). Lughnasadh falls on August 1, which is the midpoint between the summer solstice (Litha) and the Autumn Equinox (Mabon). While there is historical debate about whether the Celtic calendar included both quarter and cross-quarter days, the cross-quarter days mark the Celtic beginning of Spring (Imbolc), Summer (Beltane), Autumn (Lughnasadh) and Winter (Samhain). These dates reflect the agrarian cycle of the northern hemisphere, when daily life revolved largey around the harvesting and preserving of food ahead of the long winter months.
Modern Lughnasadh Traditions
Today Lughnasadh is celebrated by pagans and wiccans as one of the eight Wheel of the Year sabbats. Common celebrations include baking bread, making beer, hosting bonfires and decorating your home with seasonal flowers and cornstalks and early gourds.
Lughnasadh as a Time for Reflection
Lughnasadh marks the seventh turn of the Wheel of the Year. The year is 3/4th over and it’s a good time to pause and reflect on how your year has been so far. What are you happy about? What disappointments did you experience? What do you want to focus on between now and Samhain? If you journal, write down what you would like to be, do and have in the coming months. See my favorite journals
Summer days are half over, and so now is a good time to slow down and savor the beautiful weather, if you haven’t done so already. Make a date with friends to go on a picnic or a hike; host a potluck dinner followed by a bonfire; or celebrate solo with a glass of seasonal blackberry wine and some fresh bread.
How are you celebrating Lughnasadh this year? Share in the comments below!
Follow the Mabon House Adventures
More About Lughnasadh
Seven Thrift Ideas for Your Wheel of Year Celebration
The Wheel of the Year sabbats are opportunities to pause and celebrate the changing of the seasons, both within and around you. When you are just starting out, it can feel like you have to buy all.the.things in order to celebrate each sabbat properly.
The Wheel of the Year sabbats are opportunities to pause and celebrate the changing of the seasons, both within and around you. When you are just starting out, it can feel like you have to buy all.the.things in order to celebrate each sabbat properly. You may need certain items like candles or vessels, or fabric in a specific color that corresponds with that sabbat. Or maybe you are throwing a dinner party and need additional place settings and serving dishes. Thrift stores, charity shops and even yard sales are all great places to stock up on items for your Wheel of the Year celebrations.
Anyone who’s been following along on my Instagram knows that I love thrift store finds. Most of my home decor is thrifted or second hand finds. I love thrifting because it's affordable and more sustainable than buying new. I can often find higher quality items than what is available in local box stores.
Here are seven things that you can usually find for pennies on the dollar at your local thrift store:
Candles
I often find nice quality candles, new in the original packaging at my local thrift store. Candles are useful for altars, centerpieces or add a specialness to an ordinary day. Imbolc especially embodies candles as part of its celebration.
Dishes
A beautiful table doesn’t have to cost a lot of money (looking at you Pottery Barn). I love (and I mean LOVE) picking up vintage dishes whenever I’m thrifting. I am especially partial to Blue Willow china because it’s easy to find and adds an instant charm to any meal. Plus it reminds me of Jessica Fletcher’s kitchen from Murder She Wrote.
Along with place settings, I have scored most of my nice serving dishes from my local thrift store, including mixing bowls, various size platters, small serving vessels and pitchers.
Table Linens
Along the same lines of thrifted dishes, thrifted table linens are an easy and inexpensive way to dress up your dinner table. Along with vintage tablecloths and napkins, I often pick up handmade doilies and dresser scarves to use throughout my house or on my altar, if I am setting one up.
Picture Frames
I love adding framed printable art and quotes to my seasonal decor. It’s usually free or very low cost and easy to swap out as the seasons change. To make my thrifted frames look more cohesive, I’ll often give a mismatched collection a coat of spray paint. And whenever I find an oversized frame (bigger than 8x10) I’ll grab it, because they are harder to find and surprisingly pricy to buy new.
Baskets
Woven baskets offer beauty and function for your entire house. I use them for holding bread on the dinner table, to store magazines or craft projects and corral clutter in my office. In the autumn, to celebrate Mabon, I like filling small baskets with dried flower bouquets from the garden and placing a larger basket of fresh red apples on our kitchen counter.
Faux Greenery
Not everyone has ready access or a budget for fresh flowers and greenery, especially in the winter months. Thrift stores are an excellent place for scoring gently used fake plants, picks and flowers. I use faux greenery to add a little color and texture to places in my house where real plants won’t make it, such as my kitchen which gets little direct sunlight. For my Wheel of the Year celebrations, I will add faux greenery for sabbat decorations.
Now, some might argue that using fake greens goes against the very essence of a nature based spiritual path. I argue that it is the intent that you have when using any item, real or fake. Plus I feel it's a bit elitist to assume that everyone can pick up a fresh bouquet of flowers for their Wheel of the Year celebration. I say do what you can, where you are, with what you have.
Clothes
Easily half of my wardrobe is thrifted. If you are looking for a special outfit for your Wheel of the Year celebration, thrift stores and consignment shops are a great place to look. ThredUp is another resource, if you don’t live near any good quality second hand clothing stores. I wrote a whole post on how to shop online for thrifted clothes. Buying second hand clothes is one of the best ways to avoid fast fashion and reduce the environmental footprint of your wardrobe.
As you plan for your next Wheel of the Year celebration, I hope that these tips have helped inspire you. Be sure to visit the Member’s Library for Free Wheel of the Year Printables, calendars, art and more!
Quinoa Craisin Walnut Salad
This easy summer salad makes a great addition to your Lughnasadh celebration
This is one of my favorite dishes to make in the summer. It’s quick and easy and perfect for humid summer evenings when I don’t want to do a lot of cooking. It also makes for a fun addition to a Lughnasadh dinner party.
Ingredients
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
½ cup craisins
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Directions
Cook quinoa as directed on the package. Let cool to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, mix quinoa with the rest of the ingredients. If it tastes bland, try adding in a dash more balsamic vinegar and/ or salt
Chill for an hour before serving.
Serves eight buffet portions, four side portions or two entrée portions.
