British Harvest Festival

Bountiful and successful harvests are celebrated through various traditional means in various countries worldwide. Particularly in England, who started such ceremony since the start of Pagan times, their ancient harvest tradition called "Harvest Festival" is usually observed on or near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon on the month of September. Their celebration consists of singing, church decoration (usually with fruits and food), and praying.

For the British, their traditional Harvest Festival is a reminder to all Christians of all the good blessings God has provided for them. Among the values practiced in the said celebration is sharing, especially to those who are less fortunate and in need. Other rituals observed during the event is the ringing of the church bells on each day of the harvest. Also, the horse who brought the last load of the harvest, is to be decorated with flowers and ribbons. A grand feast, moreover, will be held at some farmer's house for the Harvest Festival celebration.

As additional info on British Harvest celebration, it is interesting to note that the former festival was called “lammas” or "loaf mass", since farmers are then making loaves of bread from their harvest to be given to their church. The loaves of bread were used as Communion to thank God for their bountiful and successful harvest. Such celebration, however, was forgotten when Henry VIII turned away from Christianity. That event resulted to the British observance of their Harvest Festival in September.