Learn about the holiday of Lammas!
Lammas, Lammas Day, Loaf Mass, Loaf Mass Day—however you’d like to call it—is a holiday celebrated originally by Christian Anglo-Saxons. Lammas is also called “the feast of first fruits” and is a harvest festival taking place on August 1st in the northern hemisphere (February 1st in the southern hemisphere).
Some neopagan religions, namely Wicca, would later add this holiday to their sabbats (see: Wheel of the Year). Due to various reasons, the holiday Lughnasadh—a festival historically celebrated in Ireland—became conflated with Lammas, and the two are often used interchangeably. For a short explanation as to why this is an issue, please see this post.
Lammas comes from the Old English hlāfmæsse, or “Loaf mass”. This most likely references the tradition of making a loaf of bread with the crop harvested on Lammastide.
In the past, it was customary to bring a loaf of bread to one’s local church to be blessed or to have a procession from the church to a bakery wherein those who are working will be blessed. The blessed bread may also be used for the Eucharist.
Throughout Britain in the Middle Ages fairs would be celebrated, feasts would be had, rent would be paid, and local elections held.
Note: Lammas may have pre-Christian influences but the festivities we know of and its name come from a distinctly English and Christina era. It was not “stolen” from pagans.
These are simply suggestions, anything that can be seen as traditional will be marked with a (T).
The Christian God (T), Lugh, Demeter, Freyr, Osiris, and many of the harvest/agricultural deities.
Rocks, Crystals, Minerals, Etc
Sunstone, amber, gold, iron
Wheat, cereals, corn (T), blackberries, blueberries, bilberries
Harvest crops (T) or tend to houseplants
Create or cast spells involving equity and justice
Visit a bakery (and tip your bakers if possible!)
Bread or other baked goods (T)
Any of the herbs or rocks mentioned above
Honor your ancestors, gods, or spirits with an altar or a space at your feast
A Little History of Lammas - A Clerk of Oxford
Stations of the Sun - Ronald Hutton
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