Michaelmas is an ancient Celtic “Quarter Day” which marked the end of the harvesting season and is steeped in folklore. There are four English “Quarter Days” — days that fall around the Equinoxes or Solstices and mark the beginning of new natural seasons (Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall.) These days were used in medieval times to mark “quarters” for legal purposes, such as settling debts. Other Quarter Days are: Lady Day (the Feast of the Annunciation) on March 25, the Feast of St. John on June 24, and Christmas on December 25.
Michaelmas Day is the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, celebrated on 29 September. St. Michael is the patron saint of the sea and maritime lands, of ships and boatmen, of horses and horsemen. He was the Angel who hurled Lucifer (the devil) down from Heaven for his treachery. Michaelmas Day is traditionally the last day of the harvest season.
The harvest season used to begin on August 1st and was called Lammas, meaning “loaf Mass.” Farmers made loaves of bread from the new wheat crop and gave them to their local church. The custom ended when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church, and today we have harvest festivals at the end of the season near Michaelmas Day.
Michaelmas Day is sometimes called Goose Day. Goose Fairs are still held in some towns in England, but geese are no longer sold. A famous Michaelmas fair is the Nottingham Goose Fair, held every year on or around October 3rd.
A popular custom in England was to dine on goose on Michaelmas. One reason for this was that Queen Elizabeth I was eating goose when news of the defeat of the Armada was brought to her. In celebration, she said that henceforth she would always eat goose on Michaelmas Day.
Another possible reason why goose are eaten, is that since Michaelmas was a Quarter Day, rents were due and bills had to be paid. Tenants seeking a delay of payment traditionally brought a goose as a present to their landlord to help seek his indulgence.
Folklore in England holds that the devil stamps on bramble bushes. Therefore one must not pick blackberries after Michaelmas. The reason for this belief has ancient origins…. it was said that the devil was kicked out of heaven on St. Michael’s Feast Day, but as he fell from the skies, he landed in a bramble bush. He cursed the fruit of that prickly plant, scorching them with his fiery breath, stomping on them, spitting on them and generally making them unsuitable for human consumption. Legend suggests he renews his curse annually on Michaelmas Day and therefore it is very unlucky to gather blackberries after this date.
Some groups in the United States, such as the Pennsylvania Dutch, have kept Michaelmas traditions alive.
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