Lammas (also known as Lughnassadh) is coming soon. This Pagan holiday opens the harvest season on August 1-2. What plans have you made for Lammas this year? You’ll want to choose feast foods and decorations that match your theme. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Lammas Foods
Traditional foods for Lammas include the fruits and vegetables peaking in late summer to early fall. However, primary emphasis falls on grains and things made from grains. Meat does not really figure into the usual Lammas fare — though you may serve some if you wish — so this holiday is ideal for vegetarians. Plan your potluck feast in advance. You can find Lammas recipes online or in cookbooks such as Cooking To The Wheel of the Year
Grains form the mainstay of Lammas food, especially wheat, oats, barley, and rye. Whole, cracked, or rolled grains appear in stuffings and other dishes. Bread and other foods made from grains also stand out on a Lammas table. Kneading and baking bread is a traditional Lammas activity.
Sweet corn technically comes from a grain (corn is a grass) but is eaten as a vegetable. Yellow or white corn is best for this holiday, especially if you’re tying into to the Native American “Green Corn Festival” holidays. Sweet corn begins converting sugar to starch as soon as it leaves the stalk. This suggests an interesting relay race: The first bunch of people yank the ripe ears off the stalks and run to the shuckers, who shuck the ears as fast as possible then hand them off to the next folks who run them to the kitchen, where cooks dunk them straight into pots of boiling water.
Seasonal fruits include anything ripe at this time, most notably blackberries. The earliest “dessert” apple and pear varieties also ripen in early August; these are not for storage or canning, but are sweet delicate fruits intended to be eaten immediately. Serve them by themselves, in fruit salads, or sliced with crackers and a sharp cheese such as aged white cheddar.
Alcoholic beverages figure into many Lammas myths. Chief among these are beer and ale, which come from grains. Fruit wines, such as blackberry or elderberry wine, celebrate the dark fruits of late summer. However, some versions of Lammas tie into the wine gods and the worship of grapes. Mead, made from summer honey, also appears in Lammas festivals. For safety’s sake, serve alcohol in moderation, after food — and make sure that designated drivers are available.
Lammas Decoration Ideas
Your decorations should support and enhance your theme. One strong motif with variations will usually work better than unrelated motifs all competing with each other. For more ideas, flip through books such as Lammas: Celebrating the Fruits of the First Harvest
Colors: Gold and yellow predominate, the colors of grain. Brown, tan, and white also play in. Other food colors — such as tomato red, leaf green, and berry purple — may be appropriate. For a Lughnassadh ritual, consider bronze and gold, the colors of Lugh.
Incense: Corn and safflower both tie into the grain theme. Rose hips bring another seasonal reference, as roses are in fruit at this time. Frankincense and sandalwood relate to spirituality. You can also make your own incense or essential oil blends inspired by online recipes.
Music: Lammas music is harvest music, heavy on the beat, so drums are especially appropriate. Strings, especially harps and guitars, are also popular as people sing along to them. Consider seasonal songs like Lammas Leaves
Altar tools for Lammas have an emphasis on blades, particularly the sickle or bolline, but also the athame. You may also want to make corn dollies or corn-husk dolls for altar decoration or for use in ritual.
Grain sheaves characterize the harvest season. Wheat sheaves are bundles of wheat set upright for collection. Corn tipis are made from cut corn stalks after the ears have been removed, stacked together in a cone.
Cornucopia is a horn-shaped basket filled with autumn fruits and vegetables. It means “horn of plenty” and represents the abundance of the harvest season. Earth goddesses and gods sometimes carry one as a symbol of their power.
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