Jul 16, 20226 min read

Exploring Lughnasadh

Updated: Mar 16, 2023

This day marks the middle of summer. The crops planted earlier in the season are ready for picking, we are finally seeing the rewards for all of our hard work, and the days are getting shorter. But what is the story behind our contemporary observations of Lughnasadh and how do we incorporate that into our celebrations?

Below, I will cover

A Brief Summary
History & Background
Celebrating
Resources & Further Reading

Let's begin!

A Brief Summary

Lughnasadh is the first harvest festival and cross-quarter day (midpoint) between the Summer Solstice and Autumnal Equinox (or Midsummer/Litha and Mabon)

Names: Lughnasadh, Lughnassa, Lammas, The First Fruit

Date(s): Typically August 1st but sometimes the 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere and February 1st or 2nd in the Southern Hemisphere

Observances: The days are now growing shorter and the nights longer, but this is the start of the harvest season and Lughnasadh is considered the first of three harvest festivals. This day is all about gratitude for the abundance of the previous months, reward, pride in and acknowledgement of work accomplished.

History & Background

In every video and article in which I cover the history of the sabbats, I like to discuss their different names as each one has at least two and they usually hold a good amount of meaningful and historical context. While I simply prefer the name Lughnasadh, you've probably also heard this one called Lammas, various different pronunciations of Lughnasadh or Lughnassa, or The First Fruit. It is also referred to as The First Harvest because that's what it is! Or... once was?

Nowadays, thanks to contemporary advancements in agricultural technology, we aren't limited to one harvest season--we harvest all year around. However, this used to mark the first major harvest of the year.

Whether you still celebrate this day as the first harvest festival or that just doesn't feel relevant in your practice in the present day, Lughnasadh still plays a role in the annual solar cycle. The Summer Solstice was the longest day and shortest night of the year where the sun ruled and we rejoiced in light, and at this point while the length of the day is still longer than night, daytime is waning. This holiday acknowledges light and the sun diminishing from here on out as we have reached the middle point between the start of summer and the start of autumn.

Now allow me to go back to the previously mentioned names. Some of you may notice that the name Lammas is rooted in Christianity. "Lammas" means "Loaf Mass" as in a loaf of bread and a religious mass. Many Christians still celebrate Lammas or Loaf Mass Day on August 1st.

The celebration of Lammas by early Christians did look a lot like what you see at Pagan festivals. While this aspect has massively changed over time, Christians and Pagans are actually still celebrating the same thing: the first harvest. In many Pagan celebrations, grains are a central part of the decor and the baking of bread and cutting of grains is sometimes a ritual activity, whether wheat, corn, rice, barley, rye, oats, etc. For Christians, August 1st is about the first bread of the year.

So now we have a "chicken or the egg" scenario. Did ancient Pagans celebrate this sabbat as the first harvest and Christians adopted it or did neo-Pagans pull from Christian influence? Honestly, we don't know. The documentation simply, sadly, does not go back far enough.

While some Pagans prefer to keep all Christian-related things out of their practice, many of us are okay dealing with the overlap that exists, but that is an entirely personal choice. Things became so intermingled over time that not only is there no definitive line and no exact answer from historians, but there is a lot of meaning that resonates with Pagans no matter the true origin. In my practice, I simply take God out of it and I work with what's leftover.

One thing we can say with certainty is that the ancient Celts did celebrate the cross-quarter days, Lughnasadh being one of them. Just to repeat myself for clarity, if that Celtic celebration had anything to do with the first harvest, we don't know.

The Celtic god Lugh is (probably obviously) associated with Lughnasadh. While some scholars do debate the etymology of the name Lugh, some translate it to "bright" or "shining." Interestingly enough, Lugh is not a solar deity but a god of war, art, laws, truth, craftsmanship, and ruling just to name a few. Quite a resume. However, there is no evidence that Lugh was ever considered a solar deity or a god of the harvest.

Author Jason Mankey has suggested that perhaps Lugh's association with this sabbat is due to his gifts to mankind. After all, the harvest is a reward for the labor devoted to growing the crop. Mankey supposes it may also be due to Lugh's variety of skills. Keep in mind, in celebrating the sabbats, we aren't just acknowledging nature and symbolism in nature and the overall life cycle, but our individual journeys as well. Therefore, Lughnasadh and the First Harvest aren't just about literal crops, but the fruits of labor in your life as well, whether it's a skill or talent you've been practicing, a project you've been working on, work you've done in therapy, a goal you've been trying to achieve, or a hurdle you've been trying to overcome. Look at the time and work you've put in and, whether it is finished or not, take satisfaction in any rewards that have come.

In the Middle Ages Lammas coincided with the time of year in which it was popular to hold fairs. Where I live, most summertime fairs are now scheduled to overlap with the 4th of July (because I'm sure that's a big money-making day), but it's not uncommon to still see fairs held at the end of July and beginning of August.

During fairs, farmers and craftspeople can show off and sell everything they've been working so hard on. I can't speak for fairs outside of the U.S., but here, most summertime fairs are about more than shopping, rides, fireworks, and cotton candy. Prizes are handed out for livestock, local vendors and small business owners sell merchandise at booths, there are produce and grange displays, and competitions and rewards for almost any non-performance artform you can think of.

It's difficult to not see a connection between Lugh with all he represents and this time of the year. This is a time for gratitude, abundance, and taking pride in your skills and accomplishments.

The history I just wrote out is really only the tip of the iceberg and if you want to know more, I highly suggest you check out the resources and further reading further below.

Celebrating

Here is a jumping-off point for forming your celebrations. Please keep in mind that these lists are here to help but they are not definitive! You should absolutely put your own spin on how to decorate and celebrate based on how this sabbat works into your life and spirituality.

Decorations

Colors: Green, gold, yellow, orange
Flora: Corn, dried corn husks, wheat and other grains
Other: Handcrafted items

Activities

Make a corn husk doll - I especially love to make one to represent myself and hang a charm bag from its arm. Throughout the year, I place different charged crystals, herbs, and small ingredients in it based on whatever I want to manifest within myself at that time.
Create art
Make a besom
Basically, make anything - In the spirit of Lugh and the season, this is a time to make use of any creative or craftsmanship skills you have. Even if you aren't a particularly artistic or handy person, give it a go and appreciate the efforts you put in!
Attend a harvest festival or summer fair
Host a potluck with local, seasonal foods
Bake bread, cakes, basically anything containing grains
Harvest from your home garden or collect seeds in the wild to save for next year
Light a candle in honor of the diminishing daylight
Make a toast to the sunset
Make a gratitude and/or accomplishment list - It is an especially good time to think back on all the things you have accomplished or received in the past year, but you don't have to limit your list to only recent ones!

Rituals, Spellwork, & Magick

Solar magick - We're losing daylight! Make the most of the sun while it lasts and show gratitude by working with it.
Intentions: Abundance, success, to make another notice your skills or hard work, to speed up the arrival of rewards you've rightfully earned, to improve skills or talents