Thirteen Things About Midsummer

1. The summer solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway, is on June 21st this year. It’s the longest day of the year, and has the shortest night. (Though actually, that can vary somewhat - there’s actually several nights of the same length.) In the States, anyway, we call it the beginning of summer.
2. The ancient Celts, among other people, however, called it Midsummer - and regarded this time as the midpoint of the summer season. Going by this theory, summer would’ve begun on May 1st, and lasted until about August first, at which point, autumn commences. Of course, the ancient people didn’t go by our calendar - their only guide was observing the seasons and living naturally with them. Summer began when it was green and lush and warm. Summer ended when it was time to begin the harvests.
3. Wiccans, and possibly some other groups, term Midsummer ‘Litha’. It’s a fairly modern term, and its roots are somewhat hazy - some authors attribute it to Greco-Roman roots, and others insist it means ‘the opposite of Yule’. Roots aside, the two refer to the same holiday.
4. Midsummer is celebrated all over, and not just by modern neopagans. There are several large midsummer festivals held every year in the US alone. One in Seattle has drawn controversy over some painted naked cyclists.
5. The evening before Midsummer is termed (…drumroll…) Midsummer’s Eve. It’s said to be a time of great magic.
6. Midsummer was honored by Shakespeare in his play A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
7. Primarily, Midsummer was a Celtic fire festival, and midsummer fires were lit all around the countryside. People would jump over the fires for luck, fertility, and harvest blessings, and bless their beasts with fire by walking them around the fire. Fires were still being lit well into the 18th century, especially in rural areas.
8. Later, the Church decreed the day St. John’s Day, as St. John (The Baptist) was said to have been born 6 months before Christ, and Christ’s birth was set in December. The ancient pagans adopted it readily. St. John’s Eve was a time when fairies were thought to be at their most powerful (hence, Shakespeare’s play).
9. Along the same lines, St. John’s Wort was typically gathered at this time, along with many other flowers now at their most potent. Harvest herbs from your garden at this time (if they’re ready to be harvested! Mine are definitely not.)
10. In some Wiccan lore, the two gods - the Oak King and the Holly King, battle it out for dominance, and this time, the Holly King wins - meaning the light will slowly begin to fade for the next six months. In other Wiccan lore, the god is at his most powerful, and the goddess is ripely pregnant with his son.
11. Colors: red, gold, orange, yellow, green, blue, white.
12. Themes: faeries, first harvest, crop fertility, magic, honoring the sun, fire scrying, summertime, affirmations & dedications.
13. Activities: herbal activities (harvesting, planting, drying, making things with them), balefire jumping, dreamwork, leave offerings for the fae (milk & honey is wonderful), handfastings and weddings (traditionally popular in June, the time between planting and harvest), feasting.

2 Comments »

1. I am fascinated with Wiccan beliefs, I love hearing about the festivities. Thank you for sharing! :) Hope your summer starts off wonderfully! :)

   Comment by Shannon — June 20, 2007 @ 10:56 pm

2. Wow, those are interesting points. TFS, dear!

   Comment by Mom of Olivia - the birthday girl — June 21, 2007 @ 12:45 am

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