Harvest Festival

Today I have read The Independent, and in the magazine supplement a young lady was commenting on the Harvest Festival.

I haven't celebrated the Harvest Equinox since Primary School and on reading the article, I realised what a shame that is.

I remember bringing in tins and cakes and jars of all sorts of things from my parents and grandparents; my Great Aunt was always so keen to be involved in my school activities and Christianity, and placing them on the ramshackle altar the school had made, offering the harvests' produce to the baby Jesus. At this time of year there are always those lovely, warm stews and hot pots and chutneys and jams from the summer and the beginning of the cold weather dictating that on Sunday you should cuddle up on the settee with blankets and hot chocolates and Mum and Dad and watch the films on the telly, or if there was nothing on (which is never case now that there is Film4 and Love Film), put on some old musicals like Oliver, West Side Story (my dad's favourite), or other such films.

Autumn and winter are my favourite seasons of the year, as this reporter says so aptly: 'It's a "yah boo" to the clingy clothes of summer, which show every lump and bump of every dessert, and a big old huggy welcome to shapeless sacks, cardigans and jumpers'.

This blog is also an appeal to any of you in Bangor, Gwynedd who know when and where there is a Harvest Festival. If you know of one or of someone who may be able to tell me when there is one, please could you let me know?

On reading the article, I realised how I missed the celebration and how much it had a bearing on how I welcome the season of thick socks and thick stocks! But also, I think this celebration should not be dropped on becoming 11 years old, we should continue to thank the Earth for providing for us, thank the farmers who toil year-round to give us fresh, wholesome foods, thank each other for the generosity that can be shown.