Lughnasadh – Pagan First Harvest Celebration
Known as Harvest Home or Festival, Feast of Bread and Lammas
Jul 29, 2009
Lughnasadh, a Sabbat, is one quarter of the year after Beltane. Its true astrological point is fifteen degrees Leo, but tradition has set August first or second as the day when it’s celebrated. Some Celtic Pagans refer to the astrological date of August 6th as Old Lammas. This date is a power point of the Zodiac, symbolized by the Lion, Eagle, Bull and Spirit. During Lammastide, Medieval guilds created ornate displays of their goods, decorated their shops and wore bright colors. They marched in parades, performed ceremonial plays and danced for entranced audiences.
Lughnasadh Celebration
Reaping, threshing and preparing grains spawned rituals to ensure bounty for the next year. This is the first harvest of abundant crops to preserve for the long cold months. There are many ways to celebrate Lughnasadh. Banish bad habits and unwanted things in life by throwing their symbols into the Sabbat fire. Take time to harvest produce from your garden or a pick-your-own farm and share the abundance with those who are less fortunate. Include huckleberries and/or blueberries, traditional Lughnasadh fruits, whose abundance is a sign of harvest to come
Decorate the altar with sickles, scythes, produce, wheat stalks, corn dollies and/or their pictures. Adorn them with ribbons or yarn in the customary colors of orange, gold, yellow, red, grey and bronze. Bless the decorations to bring a richer harvest next year
Recipes for Lughnasadh Feast
Traditional foods for Lughnasadh are berries, fruit and grains, bread and cake, cider, apple juice, liqueurs or wine.
- Blueberry Brew: Add one or two ounces of blueberry liqueur to 1 cup of lemon soda or lemonade.
- Crabmeat Dip: Combine 1 (7 ½ oz) can of crabmeat, flaked and drained, 1 minced hard boiled egg, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, ½ cup of salad dressing and ½ teaspoon of powdered mustard. Blend thoroughly. Chill overnight. Serve with assorted raw vegetables and cubes of assorted breads.
- Deviled Oysters or Scallops: Combine and mix well 1 pint of oysters and liquid or equal amount of scallops, 1 cup of crushed whole wheat bread crumbs, 2 diced hard boiled eggs, 2 slices of diced cooked bacon, ½ cup of each chopped red bell pepper and onion, ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 3 beaten eggs, ¼ cup of melted margarine, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce and ½ cup of evaporated milk. Put into 4 large, greased scallop shells or ramekins. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about fifteen minutes or until set.
- Chilled Huckleberry Soup: Using a food processor or blender, purée 2 quarts fresh huckleberries or blueberries, 3/4 cups of lemonade, ¼ cup of honey, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and ½ cup of vanilla yogurt. Chill overnight. Serve with a dollop of vanilla yogurt.
- Clambake: Boil 4 medium white and sweet potatoes for about fifteen minutes. Fill a large pot with one inch of water. Boil, then add potatoes, three dozen each steamer clams, mussels and fresh shrimp, 4 lobster tails and 4 ears of corn. Steam until shellfish shells are opened. Serve with melted butter or margarine.
- Cole slaw: Combine 3 cups of shredded or chopped cabbage, 1 medium shredded carrot and 1 diced green bell pepper in a bowl. Stir together with ½ cup of salad dressing and 1 tablespoon each of white vinegar and sugar. Add the mixture to vegetables and blend thoroughly. Chill overnight.
- Melon and Blueberry Compote: Mix together 2 cup of each cubes of cantaloupe, honey dew and Persian melons, watermelon and blueberries. Add ½ cup of pancake syrup. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Articles Related to Lughnasadh
Readers who enjoyed this article might be interested inLughnasadh Pagan Celebration along with Beltane Pagan Spring Celebration and Ostara/Easter Celebration
Sources:
- The Celtic Druids Year, John King, (Blandford, 1995)
- Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practioner, Scott Cunningham, (Llewellyn Publications, 1992)
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