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Pagan: Thanksgiving Celebration - Ideas and Feast Recipes

For those who are interested in Paganism. Some great ideas and feast recipes to help you celebrate this Pagan holiday! Enjoy!

Peace & Love - 

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Pagan Thanksgiving Celebration: Ideas and Feast Recipes

Nov 17, 2010 Jill Stefko

Chrysanthemums: 

Pagan Thanksgiving Flowers

Pagans, like other religions, have thanksgiving traditions. Some are called Harvest Festivals or have special names, such as Mabon, Celtic Second Harvest.

“Pagan” includes NeoPagans and AmerIndians. Originally, early Christian missionaries called polytheistic country dwellers Pagans. Later Christians called AmerIndians and Moslems heathens and infidels, derogatory words to describe non-Christians. Americans and Canadians have Thanksgiving holidays which are religious and secular. Christians celebrate Lammas, Celtic Lughnasadh – First Harvest, by going to church in August, leaving loaves of bread on altars and giving thanks.

There are at least forty-five thanksgivings, primarily religious, giving thanks for harvests. These celebrations have rituals and special foods. The Pennsylvania Dutch are descendents of Germans and the Swiss who emigrated from the Palatinate region during the 1600s to the early 1800s. Some of our ancestors were Pagans, although others belonged to Christian Churches to avoid persecution. Our food, some of which is featured in the Pagan Thanksgiving Feast, is a hearty blend of German, Swiss and AmerIndian cookery, a uniquely American cuisine.

 

 

Create Pagan Thanksgiving Ambiance

Autumns colors are maroon, violet, orange, gold, brown, yellow, russet and indigo. Altars are adorned with fall décor decorations including the season’s colored candles in gold or copper hued holders, fruit, silk or potted fall flowers – chrysanthemums, asters and zinnias, dried or silk leaves, cornucopias, gourds, pine cones, acorns, Indian corn, yellow topaz and agate, carnelian, sapphire, amethyst, sapphire, crystal quartz and seeds. Incense or scented candles are cinnamon or apples.

Pagan Thanksgiving Celebration

Dim the electric lamps, light candles and burn incense. Battery powered candles and lanterns add a nice touch, although I’ve only found white ones in stores. Make a fire in the hearth, light propane fireplaces or turn on the flames in faux electric ones. Each person gives thanks for blessings and offers prayers for what one desires future months.

Pagan Thanksgiving Recipes

Traditional food and drink served at Pagan Harvest Festivals’ feasts are fruit, grains, including corn, bread, root vegetables, squash, nuts, pork, wine, beer and apple cider.

• Spiced Nuts: Mix 1/4 cup melted margarine, 2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce, 3/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder and hot pepper sauce to taste, if desired. Pour mixture over 1 pound mixed nuts. Stir until all nuts are coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool. Store in an airtight container or baggies. Nine cups of cooked popcorn, preferably colored, can be substituted. Don’t use pre-made packaged popcorn; the results are disastrous.
• Pork Roast: Mix 3 cloves minced garlic with 1 teaspoon powdered sage. Pierce the top and sides of 5 pound pork roast and put mixture into the slits. Pour 1/2 cup cider vinegar over roast. With a small knife, pierce top of roast. Roast meat at 325 degrees for about 3 hours, basting often, until meat is done. Test for doneness by piercing meat with cooking fork. Juices will run clear when roast is done.
• Roasted Corn: Wrap desired number of husked corn ears, coated with two teaspoons of margarine, in foil. Oven roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. These can be roasted on grills for 25 minutes, turning once, during roasting.
• Roasted Fall Vegetables: Cut three parsnips, 3 medium carrots, 2 medium white and sweet potatoes, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1 cup Brussels sprouts, if needed, into bite-sized pieces. Put into roasting pan. Toss with 2 Tbs olive oil an 1/4 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar until veggies are coated. Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Stir. Roast for additional 15 minutes.
• Zucchini Bread: Blend 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon together. Beat together 3 eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil and 2 1/4 cups sugar. Add sifted ingredients to egg mixture. Beat thoroughly. Blend in 2 cups grated zucchini and 1 cup chopped raisins. Pour batter into 2 greased 4 x 8 pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool.
• Quick Mincemeat Pie Filling: Mix together 2/3 cup chopped raisins, 1/4 cup chopped candied orange peel or citron, 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 Tbs brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon each, ground cinnamon and nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 cup brandy, bourbon, rum or apple cider or juice. Put alcoholic mincemeat into sterilized glass jars and let stand at room temperature or nonalcoholic mixture in jars in the refrigerator for at least one day. If liquid is absorbed too fast, add more. Mixture made with liquor will keep for weeks. Nonalcoholic mincemeat must be used within four days. Makes 1 cup.
• Apple Chips: Cut 2 apples crosswise into 1/8 slices. Put slices in single layers on aluminum foil coated with cooking spray or margarine in rimmed baking sheets. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ginger, blending thoroughly. Sprinkle evenly over apple slices. Bake at 200° in oven’s top and next-to-top racks until for about 2 hours or until apples are crisp and dry. Cool completely before storing in sealed containers. Keeps for up to 3 days.