Last Updated on July 2, 2023 by Eva Maria
Lughnasadh 2023, also known as Lammas is a pagan harvest festival celebrated by witches, modern pagans, and other practitioners. It is typically celebrated on the 1st of August and marks the beginning of the harvest season. Lughnasadh sabbat is a time of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and a recognition of the need to share them with others.
Lughnasadh is a time of joyous celebration, usually accompanied by feasts, bonfires, music, and dancing. Offerings are made to the gods, goddesses, and nature spirits, and the harvest is shared with those in need. This festival is a great opportunity to connect with nature and to give thanks for the abundance of the season.
Lughnasadh 2023 and Lammas Date
Lughnasadh / Lammas is the cross-quarter holiday between Midsummer (Summer Solstice) and the Autumn Equinox, the first of three harvest festivals. Astrologically, it begins when the Sun enters 15 degrees in the sign of Leo.
This year, Lughnasadh 2023 will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. This is a time to honor the sun and the harvest that it brings. We can give thanks for the abundance of the summer, and prepare for the colder months ahead.
Traditionally, people would bake bread and cakes made of the first grains harvested, as well as make corn dollies and garlands. This is also a time to reflect on the changing of the seasons, and how our lives are also changing. It is a time to celebrate and give thanks for the bounty of the Earth
Lammas Lughnasadh Ritual Book of Shadows Pages – PDF Grimoire – Wheel of the Year
Learn more about Lammas Lughnasadh ritual and celebrations from this beautifully designed Book of Shadow Pages. This bundle includes Lughnasadh Rituals and Intentions, Lughnasadh Traditions and History, the God Lugh, Lughnasadh Symbols and Colors, Lughnasadh Crafts, Lughnasadh Activities, Lughnasadh Correspondences (plants, oil blend, and crystals), Lughnasadh Foods, Lughnasadh Altar, and Decorations.
Lughnasadh Meaning
Lughnasadh is one of the four Gaelic (Celtic) seasonal festivals marking the beginning of the harvest season. It is not the same holiday as Lammas, although they are celebrated on the same day and focus on similar rituals.
The holiday name Lughnasadh translates to “Assembly of Lugh”. In Ireland, it was celebrated as a funeral feast and athletic competition in memory of Lugh’s foster mother – Tailtiu. Traditionally the tribal assemblies were held, including horse racing, athletic contests, martial games, music, storytelling, trading, and proclaiming laws.
Lammas Meaning
The name Lammas comes from the old English Hlaefmass meaning “loaf mass”. Lammasis the name of the Anglo-Saxon holiday, taken by the Catholic church by the name of Loaf Mass. It is the celebration of grain, harvest, and bread.
Lughnasadh 2023
Lughnasadh 2023 will be celebrated on August 1st.
This date marks the midpoint between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox. It is a time when the days begin to shorten, and the first signs of autumn can be felt in the air. Celebrate Lughnasadh as a holiday of thanksgiving for the harvest and the fruits of the earth.
People gather in the fields to dance, sing, and feast together. It is also a time to give thanks for the blessings of the past year and to look forward to the blessings of the coming year. Traditionally, bonfires are lit in honor of the Sun God Lugh, and offerings are made to the gods and goddesses.
Lughnasadh Pronunciation
The pronunciation of Lughnasadh can vary depending on the region. In Ireland, it is pronounced “loo-nuh-suh”, while in Scotland, it is pronounced “loo-na-sa”.
What is Lughnasadh the celebration of?
Lughnasadh festival celebrates the beginning of harvesting the first crops. It is a time to be grateful for the bounty of the earth and to share this abundance with others.
It is also a time to remember and honor the ancestors and to find a balance between darkness and light. Lughnasadh is a time of joy and celebration and a time to recognize the changing of the seasons. It is also a time of reflection and contemplation, a time to take stock of our lives and consider our spiritual growth. People come together to celebrate, dance, sing, and feast.
Lughnasadh Traditions
One of the most common traditions associated with Lughnasadh is the making of Lammas bread. This bread is made from the first grains of the harvest and is often shaped into a wheel or a sun to represent the cycle of life and the changing seasons.
Another tradition is the lighting of bonfires. These fires are meant to symbolize the sun and its power, as well as to provide a gathering place for the community to come together and celebrate.
Back in the day, our ancestors used to prepare for winter months – cutting, grounding, and storing grains, canning fruit and vegetables, and brewing wine and beer. Lughnasadh holiday was also the time for gathering wild berries, climbing hills, and visiting holy wells.
Trial marriages were conducted that lasted one year and a day. If successful, they were made permanent, if not – broken without consequences.
Lughnasadh Ritual
When making the Lughnasadh ritual, focus on giving thanks for the abundance of the harvest season. This can be done through offerings of food, drink, or other gifts to the gods and goddesses.
Another common Lughnasadh ritual is the weaving of corn dollies. These dolls are made from the last sheaf of corn harvested and are meant to represent the spirit of the harvest. They are often hung in homes or on altars as a symbol of abundance and prosperity.
Try to incorporate one or more of these things for your Lughnasadh ritual:
- Bake Lammas Bread
- Write a gratefulness list.
- Share things with people in need.
- Harvest herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
- Cleanse your home with Lughnasadh herb incense.
- Go berry picking or mushroom hunting.
- Create a grain wreath to decorate your Lughnasadh altar.
- Burn a Lughnasadh candle on your altar.
Lughnasadh how to celebrate:
- Gather with friends in nature and prepare the bonfire.
- Make a picnic in nature.
- Participate in outdoor sports and competitive games.
- Make some Lughnasadh crafts with your family (for example the Corn Dolly).
Lughnasadh Symbols
The symbols of Lughnasadh include the sun, the harvest, and the god Lugh. Other symbols may include corn, wheat, other grains, corn dollies, apples, sunflowers, summer vegetables, etc.
Lughnasadh colors:
- gold – energy, power, wealth, success, the Sun, and wisdom
- green – abundance, health, fertility, growth, money, wealth
- orange – communication, courage, creativity, energy
- brown – balance, courage, grounding, safety, stability
- yellow – communication, dream work, happiness, solar energies
Lughnasadh crystals:
Carnelian, Citrine, Diamond, Emerald, Peridot, Red Jasper, Tiger’s Eye, Topaz
You can buy Lughnasadh crystals kit here.
Lugnnasadh herbs and plants:
Acacia, Aloe, Apple, Barley, Berries, Blackberry, Blackthorn, Calendula, Corn, Elder, Ginseng, Gorse, Grapes, Heather, Hollyhock, Hops, Mint, Myrtle, Oak, Oats, Rowan, Rye, Sunflower, Wheat
The God Lugh
The God Lugh is a member of Tuatha de Danann – gods that ruled Ireland.
The name Lugh translates to “shining” or “bright”
Lugh is the solar deity of the light, skillful hand, craftsmanship, smithcraft, music, art, history, poetry athleticism, victory, and war. He is portrayed as a warrior, historian, sorcerer, and craftsman.
It is believed that he began the tradition of Lughnasadh as athletic games, markets, and feasts in honor of his foster mother Tailte who died of exhaustion clearing the fields of Ireland for agriculture.
There are at least 14 cities in Europe that are named after Lugh: Lon, Leyden, Loudon, and Lyon (before called Lugdunum). God Lugh was known as Lugos in continental Europe.
His sacred plants are apples, birch, holly, yew, gorse, and grain.
Gems associated with Lugh: obsidian, sapphire, topaz
Sacred animals: chicken, boar, dog, horse, lion, lynx
Read more about the God Lugh on Wikipedia.
Lughnasadh Blessings
Lughnasadh blessings can be given to friends and family to wish them prosperity and abundance in the coming year. These blessings may include the giving of gifts, the sharing of food and drink, or the offering of prayers and well-wishes.
Lughnasadh Recipes
There are many traditional recipes associated with Lughnasadh, including Lammas bread, corn pudding, and berry pies. These recipes often incorporate the fruits and grains of the harvest season and are meant to be shared with friends and family.
Lughnasadh Altar
An altar for the Lughnasadh festival may include symbols of the harvest season, such as corn, wheat, and other grains. It may also include candles, crystals, and other items that represent the sun and its power.
Use the colors that you associate with this season. Some of the common Lughnasadh colors are yellow, brown, and gold.
If you are looking for Lughnasadh Altar Deroations, check Etsy for some inspiration.
Lughnasadh Decorations
Decorations for Lughnasadh may include wreaths made from wheat or other grains, as well as garlands of flowers and leaves. These decorations are meant to celebrate the beauty and abundance of the harvest season.
Lughnasadh is a time to celebrate the abundance of the harvest season and to honor the god Lugh. Whether through traditional rituals, recipes, or decorations, there are many ways to mark this special time of year. As we approach Lughnasadh 2023, let us give thanks for all that we have and look forward to the changing seasons ahead.
