| Lammas This celebration is occurs between August first and second and is the sabbat also known as Lughnasadh. This sabbat is when the grain harvests are honoured and usually, in their prime. The name "Lughnasadh" is in the name of the Irish-Celtic god Lugh. Lugh rules over the arts and sciences. In Irish legend, he made a commemorative feast to be held at the beginning of the harvest season to honour of Tailtiu, his foster mother. Her people were defeated by the Tuatha De Dannan and because of this she was forced to clear a vast forest for the purpose of planting grain. She died in exhaustion during this undertaking and was then buried underneath a great mound named after her. Early pagan celebrations of Lughnasadha involved feasting and contests of skill. The feast was usually made up of the first fruits of the summer harvest and the games were played. The sabbat also became symbolic of the work and sacrifice of humans to feed and nuture their families and community. With the arrival of Christianity, however the sabbat changed. The name of the sabbat changed from Lughnasadh to Lammas meaning "loaf mass." On the first Sunday of August, loves of bread baked from the first of the harvested grain were placed on the church altar. Along with religious celebrations and observances, Lammastide is also a traditional time for craft festivals. Medieval guilds created elaborate displays of wares, decorated themselves and their shops in bright colours and ribbons, marched in parades, and preformed strange, ceremonial plays and dances for the other townspeople. This could have been similiar to many Renaissance Faires today. |