Lammas Day Feast, August 2nd : Harvest Your Happiness

How did you spend the first few days of August? For Cerridwen Greenleaf, author of Moon Spell Magic For Love, August 2nd was for celebrating Lammas Day!

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The major sabbat of Lammas Day denotes the high point of the year; all crops are in their peak of fullness, the weather is sunny and warm and all the land is bursting forth with the beauty of life. For centuries, Pagans have known we have the heavens above to thank for this bounty and the gods of nature must always be recognized for their munificence with a gathering of the tribe and a feast, ideally in the great outdoors.  Ask  attendees to bring harvest offerings for the  altar: fresh-picked flowers, apples,  pumpkins, gourds,  corn, wheat stalks bundles fresh pickings from their garden and food to share in thanksgiving made from the crops: berry pies, watermelon, tomato salads, pickles, green beans, corn pudding,  lemon cakes,  cucumbers, apple cider and beer brewed from wheat, hops and barley. This celebration of the reapings from the summer season should reflect what you grown with your own hands. Fill your cauldron or a big beautiful colored glass bowl half-full with freshly-drawn water. Get packets of tiny votive candles for floating in the water. At the feast table, make sure to have a place-setting for the godly guest Lugh who watched over the plantings to ensure this bounty. Place loaves of fresh-baked Lammas bread by his plate.

When all guests have arrived, everyone should add a food offering to the plate of the god and light a candle to float in the cauldron.  Cut a slice of Lammas bread for Lugh and begin the ceremony with this prayer of gratitude:

Oh, ancient Lugh of the fields and farms,

We invite you here with open arms,

In this place between worlds, in flowering fields of hay.

You have brought the blessings we receive this Lammas Day.

Begin the feast and before the dessert course, everyone should go around the table and speak to their thanks for the gifts of the harvest and make a toast with the beer or cider to the great god who provided all.  Storytelling, singing, spiral dances and all manner of merriment is part of Lammas Day.

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