Lammas Altar

This year, I’m taking my early harvest festival altars downstairs closer to the kitchen, where so much of the Lammas and Mabon festivities center.

So instead of my usual altar space, I have commandeered the coffee table.

 

You may have noticed I take a minimalist approach to my altars. 

But there are a few things that I must have on the Lammas altar for it to feel like Lammas.  🙂

The first is sunflowers, which are in season in abundance in this part of the country during the Lammas season.

Last year, I went with some friends to pick our own, but we’re going for raspberries this year, so I picked up this gorgeous bouquet at the farmer’s market.  It brightens up the whole house and they stay fresh for at least a couple of weeks.

If you’re looking for a simple, daily way to connect to your altar, consider changing out the water every day.  The flowers last longer, and it the simple devotional keeps you in touch with the season.

A jar of popcorn kernals symbolizes the grain harvest.  You can totally pop these on Lammas after the blessing for an evening sabbat treat.

Blackberries are a traditional Lammas harvest food.  Last year I put a bottle of blackberry wine on the altar, but this year, I’m putting the berries in a wine glass (see first pic).  I just put them in there for the picture, because naturally, you can’t leave them out.  But I will fill it again for the ritual on Lammas.

However, I am going to let these peaches ripen on the altar the night before Lammas.  I will use them to make peach cobbler later.  Lammas is such an edible holiday!

Finally, the bread of course!  I always hand bake bread from scratch on Lammas.   This year, I tried doing a braided harvest bread for the first time.  I’m not sure how it looks, but it smells and tastes amazing!

I’m going to show you guys the bread baking process from a spiritual perspective on the day of Lammas, so look forward to that post coming in a little over a week.

Blessed be!