SEASONS OF CELEBRATION

AUGUST 1 ~~ LUGHNASSADH ('tween, HIGH HOLIDAY)
Astronomical Date: Sun 15 Degrees Leo
February 2nd in Southern Hemisphere
August Eve, Ceresalia, Cornucopia, Elembious, Feast of Bread, Feast of Cardenas, Festival of Green Corn, First Harvest, Harvest Home, Laa Luanys, Lammas, Lunasa, Tailltean Games, Teltain Cornucopia, Thingtide

ACTIVITIES:
Bless Springs/Wells
Bread Baking
Celebrate Achievements
Corn Dollies
Divination
Harvesting

CAULDRON: Harvest

COLORS: ORANGE, burgundy, navy, brown, beige

DECORATIONS:
Baskets
Berries
Bread
Corn/Grain Dollies
Ivy
Roosters


FACTS AND FOLKLORE:
'loo-nahs-ah'
Lammas means "Loaf Mass" (Old English)
"Lleu" (Welsh), "Lugus" (Gaul)
Lughnasadh means "Games of Lugh" (Gaelic)
Lughnasadh means "Lugh's Wedding" (Irish)
Lughnasadh means "Funeral Feast of Lugh"
Lunasa means "August" (Irish Gaelic)

Beginning of Autumn (Celtic)
"Feast of Bread" (Saxon)
First harvest fruits readily available
Grain Harvest
Harvest time: first harvest
"John Barleycorn"
Lugh symbolically sacrificed
Modern festival of waning summer
Races/Games held for Lugh/mother Tailtiu (Ireland)
Reap the rewards of what we have sown
Sacred to Artemis, Goddess of Moon and Hunt (Greek)

FEASTING:
Breads: Corn, Garlic
Cakes
Corn
Fruits: Blackberries, Grapes, Pears
Lamb
Rice
Salads
Vegetables

BEVERAGES:
Fruit Juices
Herbal "Sun" Teas