Celebrating Lammas

August 1st marks Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, the first of the three ancient harvest festivals in the Wheel of the Year. It's a time to honor the grain harvest, give thanks for abundance, and recognize the turning of the seasons as we move from high summer into the slow descent of autumn.

Traditionally, Lammas was when the first loaves of bread were baked from the newly harvested wheat. The name Lammas itself means "loaf mass." Communities would gather to share food, make offerings, and celebrate the earth’s generosity. It’s a festival of gratitude, hard work, and transformation.

This sabbat also honors Lugh, the Celtic god of the sun and skill. In some traditions, Lammas was a time for games, fairs, and honoring talents, a celebration not just of crops, but of human creativity and labor.

Ways to Celebrate Lammas:

• Bake bread or share a meal made with seasonal produce

• Create a gratitude list for what’s flourishing in your life

• Decorate your altar with wheat, sunflowers, corn, or gold tones

• Reflect on what you’ve “planted” earlier this year and what’s beginning to come to fruition

• Offer something back to the earth: compost, a prayer, or a handmade item

As the light begins to wane and the days grow shorter, Lammas reminds us to pause and appreciate what we’ve grown.

Blessed Lammas! May your harvest be full and your heart nourished.