It’s just past the summer solstice, and today is midsummer’s day. This pagan holiday celebrates the longest day of the year. Dancing around maypoles, garlands, bonfires, and magic are all in the air. June 24th is also St John’s feast day (six months before Christmas), but there is a clear pagan core running through all of the celebrations in Celtic, Slavic, and Germanic countries, as well as parts more farflung. Here’s what we know.
History
The summer solstice is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, when the north pole is pointed most fully at the sun. In the UK it is best observed at Stonehenge, the stone circle erected in the Salisbury plain 4500 years ago. On this day alone, the rising sun casts it rays into the circle. Don’t worry: we’re not going anywhere near there today (we hate traffic!). But here’s a live view of the action at Stonehenge. Cornwall also celebrates midsummer’s day with enormous bonfires (we’re not headed there either). Some parts of the southern hemisphere also celebrate (usually former European colonies, and usually as a Catholic holiday): Brazil has fire-walking, special foods, and dancing, for instance.
What Happens
- Magic: this is a time when, allegedly, the boundaries between living and dead are more permeable than usual. It is also the best time to gather magical herbs, ideally at sunrise (you missed it!).
- Fire: bonfires, jumping over fires, fireworks – depending on where in the world you are. These fires serve to dispel evil spirits. Plus fire is fun.
- Parades and processions abound, including, in some places, naked runs and bathing and mock weddings or even real weddings
- Maypoles, music, and dancing – in England, these happen in May but in Scandinavia they are a part of the midsommer festivities. In some parts of the world, a conch shell is blown, and in others pans are banged to scare away spirits.
- Love: young women perform particular rituals to find or attract mates. Our favourite involves standing naked over a well and looking for the reflection of one’s future husband. But there are also some less risqué options, including gathering flowers and sleeping on them.
- Feasting – lots of special foods and drinks, often outside and lasting all night.
Why You Should Care about Midsummer’s Day
Well, all that stuff sounds awesome to us and we’re always up for a party! But we’ve also noticed, even in retirement, that time passes quickly. Most of us live divorced from the natural world and its rhythms and the weather affects us only in limited ways. So we think this is an excellent opportunity to pause, maybe read Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and enjoy a seasonal meal outside in the long daylight hours. We’re planning on a picnic featuring Scandinavian foods, not least to get ourselves into the mood for our next destination: salmon, potatoes, dill, and, of course, strawberries.
Let us know if you celebrate Midsummer’s day, even if it’s just for a few moments!
