All you lovely lads and lasses out there might like to take time out today to enjoy Lammas. This is an old festival which in the Christian tradition honours the first part of the harvest, which is how it gets its name, as in Anglo Saxon times it was known as hlaf-mas or “loaf-mass”.
On this day a loaf made from the newly gathered harvest was brought into the church to be blessed. The Saxon’s seem to have had a preference for keeping a foot in both spiritual camps and the loaf was often then used to work spells and charms. The pieces of bread were often broken off and placed in each of the four corners of the barn to protect the grain harvest.
{copytag:[611]:copytag}
In secular terms, Lammas is a Quarter Day in Scotland and a Cross Quarter Day in England when rents were traditionally paid. Pagans may choose to refer to this special day as Lugnasad; Lugh being a Celtic sun god and nasad meaning a gathering. Here’s an odd Lammas fact for you: Juliet of Romeo and Juliet fame was born on Lammas Eve; “Come Lammas Eve at night she shall be fourteen”.
