Lammas Day | Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh (also known as Lammas) is the first harvest festival of the Year. It is celebrated by Celtic pagans, Wiccans and New Age Norse pagans. It doesn't have any ancient historic ties to Norse paganism.
Celebrated on August 1, Lughnasadh is a day to harvest the first crop, gather with family, give thanks for what you have, and honour the dead. The most iconic tradition for Lughnasadh is baking braided bread.
Another New Age Norse movement is celebrating Freyfaxi, however, this celebration was created by the AFA - a new age hate group that has created its own faction under a popular Norse pagan organization. It is better to avoid it entirely - especially since there this was never a holiday outside of its creation.
From its Celtic pagan perspective, Lughnasadh was named after the pagan sun god Lugh, who was once a King of Ireland and god of truth, arts, crafts, oaths and the law (and more).
The first Lughnasadh was a celebration of Lugh's step-mother's life who died of exhaustion while harvesting the fields. She was buried under a mound in Teltown, County Meath, Ireland.
When it comes to Lughnasadh, there are not many stories or significance for today's urban people - unless you are a farmer, gardener, or a pagan family who wants to bring a little more spirit into your home.
Lughnasadh is one of the more quint celebrations on the Wheel of the Year. Take this time to enjoy the simple things like having the family together for some quality time to crat and share appreciation for those important to you.
Below are recommended activities for the Norse pagan family:
Lughnasadh Activities for the Family
1. Bake Vanir buns
A common tradition adopted by Norse pagans is to bake buns with the image of the Vanir goddess, Freya on them; however, it seems better fitting to honour her brother Freyr who is the Vanir god of fertility, crop and harvest.
2. Pick a Harvest
If you don't have your own crop to pick, visit a local farm to pick what is in season.
3. Make Lughnasadh dolls
An ancient and traditional craft is making corn husk dolls. Check out this 6-minute video by The Woodland Elf for a great how-to tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF4ba29oyxI
4. Sumbel
Toast to each other and the deities to show your appreciation and thanks. Honour the gods first, then your ancestors, and then each other.
5. Bonfire
A harvest festival wouldn't be complete without a fire to honour and symbolize the sun.
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