8 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. Unlike Northern America and Canada, the UK does not have a national holiday for Harvest Festival. The Harvest Festival of the Jewish religion is called Sukkot or ‘the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’. It is celebrated at the end of the year, after Rosh Hoshanah, the third of the great Annual Festivals. History of Harvest Festivals The Harvest Festival in Britain used to be celebrated at the beginning of the harvest season on 1st of August and was called Lammas, meaning ‘loaf mass’. Farmers made loaves of bread from the new wheat crop and gave them to their local churches. They were then used as the communion bread during a special mass thanking God for the harvest. The custom ended when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church, and nowadays we have Harvest Festivals at the end of the season. At the start of the harvest, communities would appoint a strong and respected man of the village as their ‘Lord of the Harvest’. He would be responsible for negotiating the harvest wages and organising the fieldworkers. The end of the harvest was celebrated with a feast called a Harvest Supper, eaten on Michaelmas Day. The ‘Lord of the Harvest’ sat at the head of the table. A goose stuffed with apples was eaten along with a variety of vegetables. t t H T t w A t T t w It is a celebration of all the food grown on our land. Thanksgiving ceremonies for a flourishing harvest can not only be found across the world, but go back a long way. In Britain, we have given thanks for successful harvests since pagan times. We celebrate this day by singing, praying and decorating our churches with baskets of fruit and food. This is what is commonly known as a ‘Harvest Festival’. Harvest Festival reminds Christians of all the good things God has given them. This can help them want to share with others who are not as privileged. In schools and churches people bring food from home to a Harvest Festival service. After the service, the food on display is made into parcels and given to those in need. Why do we have Harvest Festival? They are a celebration at the time of year when all the crops have been harvested, people celebrate to show that they are grateful for all the food that has been grown. Given the differences in climate and crops, Harvest Festivals can be found at various times throughout the world. Here in Britain it usually occurs during the month of September. When is Harvest Festival? Harvest Festivals are traditionally held on or near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon. This is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox (about 23rd September). In two years out of three, the Harvest urs Ha Su occ Se of fo it W H d g S o i M i S t b b t in it t i l b ti f ll th f d l d Harvest Festival – What’s it all about? l – W
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