I can live with the fact that I am a walking cliche and fully embrace my identity as a thirty-something mom of three who loves pumpkin spice season. I drink the drinks; I bake the cookies; I burn the candles. I just might even choose a seasonal hand soap or bubble bath! 

But do you know what I won’t do? Pull out the Pumpkin Spice before Michaelmas. 

To me, September is for apples galore: apple picking at a local orchard, cider warmed in my favorite mug, canning applesauce with my mom, apple crisp for dessert, and a refrigerator drawer stocked with apples for munching at all times. October is for pumpkins and pumpkin spice, and keeping these celebrations of flavors separate helps me enjoy each fully.

Marking the separation of apple season and pumpkin season is none other than one of the most whimsical (in my humble opinion) feast days of the year: Michaelmas. 

Michaelmas, also known as the Feast of the Archangels, celebrates Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael and occurs on September 29th. I can’t think of Michaelmas without feeling a shiver of cozy excitement, given its placement at my favorite time of year and its content, but do you want to know something crazy? I don’t think I learned about the feast until I was an adult. Considering that I was raised in a markedly Catholic home, went to Catholic school through the eighth grade, and studied religion in college, it’s honestly quite baffling for me to consider. What’s more, I don’t think I’m a unique unicorn of ignorance. For some reason, Michaelmas tends to get overlooked (based on what I’ve observed, at least). 

Well! No more! As the hours of daylight shorten, the leaves turn, and the temperatures drop, let’s not forget that before pumpkin spice comes Michaelmas and let’s celebrate this special feast day. 

What is Michaelmas? 

Michaelmas is named for St. Michael the Archangel, and because he is known in tradition as leader of the heavenly armies, the veneration of all angels was eventually incorporated into his feast day. Within the Roman Catholic church, Saints Gabriel and Raphael — Michael’s fellow archangels — are remembered in a special way on September 29th. Western Christianity has been celebrating Michaelmas since the 5th century, and at one time the feast was a Holy Day of Obligation. While this is no longer the case, Michaelmas still offers a beautiful opportunity to pause and celebrate these powerful heavenly figures and to remember the reality of the spiritual world that surrounds us.

How has Michaelmas been celebrated over the years?

Historically, Michaelmas has been celebrated through a variety of local customs that emerged throughout northern Europe in the Middle Ages. For instance, in England, the feast was traditionally marked with harvest celebrations and a festive goose dinner, giving families an opportunity to gather around the table, give thanks for the fruits of the harvest, and welcome the changing season. The legend was that eating goose on Michaelmas would protect against financial need for the next year. In Ireland, tradition had it that the person who found a ring hidden in a Michaelmas pie would soon be married. 

What are some new ways to celebrate the feast?

Eating a goose for dinner does not appeal to me, and no one in my home is in the position to be getting married anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate Michaelmas. Based on both stories of the archangels and the feast day’s historic connection to harvest time and the changing of the seasons, here are some ideas of 21st-century-family-friendly ways of celebrating Michaelmas:

Pull out the angels and dragons and tell the story of St. Michael defeating the dragon. 

My children have a variety of angel and dragon toys, and I gather them up into a basket for Michaelmas (what is it about organized toys that makes them so much more appealing to play with?!). The kids play with them throughout the day, and at some point I tell them the story of St. Michael defeating the dragon, using their toys to act out the story as I go. It’s a simple way to bring the feast to life and give even the littlest children a tangible way to learn about St. Michael and the victory of good over evil.

The story comes from the Book of Revelation, which describes a great battle in heaven between Michael and his angels and a dragon identified as “the ancient serpent,” the devil. Michael and his angels defeat the dragon and cast him down from heaven. While Revelation is a rich and symbolic book, the Church has traditionally understood this passage as a powerful image of the victory of God over Satan and the protection of His people. St. Michael’s role as the great defender against evil is why he is often depicted in Christian art standing over a defeated dragon, sword in hand.

Have a special, autumnal meal

As I mentioned, goose is not my thing, but I love the idea of a having a festive, autumnal meal to mark Michaelmas. In our house, nothing says “fall” quite like chili and homemade soft pretzels, although if I want the meal to feel more elevated, I might go for roast chicken and mashed potatoes instead. In addition to cooking a warm and hearty dinner, I’ll decorate the table with symbols of the harvest like gourds and trimmed wheat stalks. To make the meal a true treat for my children, we’ll end with hot chocolate and something fresh from the oven. 

Be intentional about dinner conversation 

To accompany our harvest meal, I take a more hands on approach to table talk than I typically do and I pick a discussion prompt or two that relate to the themes of the day, like good vs. evil, bravery, and protection. For instance:

• Who are some people who protect or take care of you?
  
• What is one way you could be a protector or helper to someone else?
  
• What are some “dragons” people might have to fight today—not real dragons, but things like fear, selfishness, or unkindness?
  
• What helps you choose to do the right thing when doing the wrong thing would be easier?
  
• Have you ever seen someone stand up for another person? What happened?
  
• What is something you would like St. Michael to help you be brave about?
  
• Who in our family could use a little extra protection or encouragement right now?
  
• If Michaelmas is a reminder that good is stronger than evil, where do you see goodness winning in our own lives?

Friends, as October approaches, soak in the fun and flavors of the season…but first, Happy Michaelmas Day!