Ancient cultures celebrated 8 Solar Holidays over the course of a year. Half of those Solar Holidays are still acknowledged as the beginning of each of the 4 seasons which divide the year into 4 equal parts giving rise to the name Quarter Holidays. Not surprisingly, the 4 celebrations that are celebrated halfway between the start of the 4 seasons are called Cross Quarter Days.
While most cultures honor their deceased ancestors, the date for the celebrations have varied widely.s a time when the veils between the worlds were thin.
The Fall Equinox, also known as the First Day of Fall, balances the hours of day and night. Already in Metro-Detroit we’ve lost an hour of daylight since September started.
Tables decorated with a cornucopia spilled forth fruits and vegetables as the people showed their gratitude to Demeter for the gift of a bountiful harvest. While we no longer create our horn of plenty or cornucopia from a goat’s horn to honor Demeter, Americans still use her symbols to represent abundant harvests.
Lammas or Loaf Mass Day, celebrated on August 1st, is a Christian holiday where loaves of bread made from the new grains are blessed. This first harvest festival celebrates the beginning of gathering the crops. The earliest berries and grains are ready in late summer.