Lammas/Lughnasadh/Summer Thermstice Altar 2021

The Summer Thermistice, also known as Lammas and Lughnasadh, is the first of three harvest festivals celebrated on August 1st, although this year is astronomically falls on August 6th or 7th. Traditionally, wheat is harvested from the end of July through the beginning of August, and Lammas was a time to celebrate this harvest as a successful wheat harvest would guarantee flour through the winter. Wheat is and was a staple in our diet and was often the only reliable source of food during times of famine and food shortages. In fact, it was such an integral part of our diet historically that when flour prices rose due to shortages, revolts followed. As such, celebrating the wheat harvest was a community affair marked by feasts, bread baking, and offerings to the harvest spirits, often including the first loaf of bread baked from the newly harvested wheat. This is a time to celebrate and honor the land and agricultural spirits, fruitfulness, prosperity, abundance, and change. This year I put together a very simple altar, using mostly plants from my garden.

1. Blackeyed Susan Bouquet- Lammas, being a harvest festival, is also a time to honor the Sun in an attempt to keep Him shining brightly until the end of the harvest season. Blackeyed Susans are associated with the Sun due to their shape and brightly colored yellow petals. hence their central location on my altar. Furthermore, they represent abundance and fruitfulness, as anyone who has grown Blackeyed Susan's knows they produce thousands of seeds and will quickly take over your entire garden if allowed. They also represent the union of Sun and Earth that results in the fruits of the first harvest. I placed my flowers with a couple of grape leaves in a mason jar outfitted with an orange ribbon bow, the orange also representing the Sun's strength. (Where did I get it: My Garden; Cost: Free; Mason Jar ~$0.25)

2. Grapevine- Around my shed, I have a wild grapevine taking over. After trimming some of the branches back, I knew they would make a perfect altar decoration. Grapes are beginning to be harvested during this time and represent abundance and fertility. While grapes are more deeply associated with Mabon, their inclusion here is to ensure a continued fruitful harvest later in the season. (Where did I get it: My Garden; Cost: Free)

3. Citrine and Adventurine- Citrine with its light yellow hue is associated with the Sun, strength, warmth, stability, and prosperity. I placed two citrine crystals in front of both of the candles to lend the Sun strength so that He may continue to bring nourishing light to the plants below and ripen the fruits of our labors. In the center is a single green aventurine crystal, representing good luck and prosperity. I placed the green aventurine in front of the flowers because green aventurine is also a crystal that encourages plant growth, which is needed for the remainder of the growing season.  (Where did I get it: Metaphysical Stores; Cost: ~$4)

4. Candles in Holders- I went with white candles this year, representing purity and light, a nod to both the feminine energies of the season which nurture the crops and the Sun, the ultimate bringer of light. The flame is a sympathetic form of magic to encourage the Sun's strength through the remainder of the growing season. It also represents the Sun's energies. I chose the golden yellow candle holders to further represent the Sun, his strength, and light and the golden wheat being harvested during this time. (Where did I get it: Dollar Tree 2019; Cost: $3)

TOTAL COST: ~$7

Like my other altars, most of the items I use are found, made, or purchased for around $1, although if the items must be purchased by you, then the cost will be higher. I hope you find this sort of breakdown helpful, especially for those of you looking to create Instagram-perfect altars on a budget! This particular altar is mostly constructed with items I found in my garden, which brought the cost down this time significantly. The most expensive items are the crystals, which can be found cheaply with imperfections at many online retailers.

Did you do anything special for Lammas this year? I enjoyed the company of my chickens while working in the vegetable garden and later eating some super spicy Indian food and naan. I don't know about you, but there is nothing quite like Indian spice! May your harvests continue to be fruitful, whether that be literally or figuratively. 

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