July 31 -- August Eve   Lughnassad 'Lughnassad' means 'the funeral games of Lugh', referring to Lugh, the Irish sun god. However, the funeral is not his own, but the funeral games he hosts in honor of his foster-mother Tailte. For that reason, the traditional Tailtean craft fairs and Tailtean marriages (which last for a year and a day) are celebrated at this time. As autumn begins, the Sun God enters his old age, but is not yet dead. It is also a celebration of the first harvest. The Christian religion adopted this theme and called it 'Lammas', meaning 'loaf-mass', a time when newly baked loaves of bread are placed on the altar. An alternative date around August 5 (Old Lammas), when the sun reaches 15 degrees Leo, is sometimes employed by Covens. I, persdonally, prefer the name of Lughnassadh for this sabbat as it truely reflects the celebration and the nature of our herritage of being celtic and also in honoring Lugh t, the God of the Harvest.   Blessed Harvest time! Lady Majyk Whispering~Owl