The golden light of Late Summer warms the land and the first grains are gathered from the fields, it is the time of First Harvest, often referred to as Lammas or Lughnasadh.
This sacred time is a festival of gratitude, transformation, and the cyclical dance of life and death.
Falling around August 1st, this Sabbat (celebration) marks a pivotal point on the Wheel of the Year - the waning of Summer as we begin the descent into Autumn.
Origins of Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh (pronounced LOO-nah-sah or LOO-nahs) is rooted in Celtic tradition, named after the Irish god Lugh, a solar deity and master of many skills.
This was a time of community gatherings, trial marriages, athletic contests (similar to the Olympics), and honoring the sacred relationship between the land and its people.
Origins of Lammas
Lammas (short for Loaf Mass) has Anglo-Saxon and Christian origins, emerging in medieval England as a Christianized harvest festival.
On this day, the first loaves of bread made from the new grain were brought to church to be blessed, symbolizing the sanctity of the harvest.
While it shares the agricultural theme of Lughnasadh, Lammas leans more heavily into Christian traditions than mythic deity worship, yet both celebrations emphasize gratitude for the earth’s abundance.
You do not need to be a specific religion or have any specific belief systems to celebrate and honour this time of year.
How People Celebrate Today
Modern Pagans, Wiccans, Druids, and nature-based spiritual practitioners celebrate Lughnasadh/Lammas as a seasonal festival of giving thanks, honoring the Earth’s cycles, and reconnecting with ancient rhythms.
Celebrations might include:
Baking bread and sharing it.
Crafting corn or wheat dolls.
Holding community feasts or picnics with seasonal produce.
Offering gratitude rituals or harvest blessings.
Cleansing rituals.
Hosting games, dancing, or storytelling in Lugh’s honor
Making offerings to the land, such as returning a portion of the harvest to nature.
During our Sacred Seasons Workshop on Saturday 1st August we shared versions of the above, and created our own wheat crafts. It was a wonderful afternoon!
Themes of Lughnasadh / Lammas:
Gratitude and sacrifice: The grain harvest symbolizes life-giving sustenance, but also the death of the grain, a reminder of nature’s cycles and necessary sacrifice for rebirth.
Abundance and reflection: It’s a time to assess your own “harvest”—what you’ve created or learned over the past season.
Preparation for the dark half: Though Summer still lingers, the days are shortening. This is a liminal moment between light and dark.
Simple Ritual Ideas:
Bread Blessing Ritual: Bake a loaf from scratch and share it with loved ones or offer a piece to the earth.
Grain Spirit Offering: Create a small altar with wheat, corn, or barley. Thank the grain spirit for its sacrifice and leave offerings.
Personal Harvest Meditation / Practice / Journaling: Reflect on what you’ve “grown” this year. What efforts are now bearing fruit? What needs to be released?
Crafting for Lughnasadh
Crafting is a beautiful way to honor this sabbat, especially with natural materials:
Corn Dollies: Woven from husks or straw, they symbolize the spirit of the grain and are traditionally kept until spring.
Wheat Weavings: Create small charms, wall hangings, or ornaments with wheat stalks.
Sun Wheels or Harvest Wreaths: Celebrate the sun’s waning power with circular decorations made from herbs, flowers, and grain.
Herbal Sachets: Collect late-summer herbs like lavender, mint, chamomile, and rosemary for scented bundles.
Seasonal Living & The Wheel of the Year
Lughnasadh marks the eighth spoke on the Wheel of the Year, falling between Litha (Summer Solstice) and Mabon (Autumn Equinox).
It reminds us to slow down, give thanks, and be mindful of what we are harvesting—literally and metaphorically.
In a fast-paced, often disconnected world, seasonal living offers a deep, grounding presence.
Lughnasadh teaches us to pause, honour the land, and recognize the sacredness in everyday acts like baking bread or picking tomatoes from the vine.
Whether you approach Lughnasadh from a Celtic, Wiccan, Druidic, or folk perspective—or simply wish to honoUr the changing seasons—this Sabbat invites us to celebrate the gifts of the earth, the power of community, and the inevitable transitions of life.
May your harvest be abundant, your bread rise golden, and your heart be full.
Blessed Lughnasadh!
Coming Up … Autumn Equinox / Mabon
Our next Sacred Seasons Workshop will celebrate Autumn Equinox (Mabon).
Full information about this wonderful afternoon can be found here!
We would love to see you there.
