Tomorrow, 24 June, is Midsummer's Day. I wish I had something planned to mark it, but that won't happen this year. Next year, I hopefully will be able to do something appropriate to celebrate the occasion. I remember having an interesting exchange with talesin about celebrations and traditions associated with this day, and I thought some among us might have their own thoughts and experiences they would want to share.
Maybe I should give some background on this day. Most people know the solstice falls on 21 June. This is the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. On 21 June, the sun reaches its northernmost point from which it will rise. There had been a steady movement north starting on 25 December (hence the reason Christmas falls on that date) and reaching its climax on 21 June. Starting on this date, the sun rises over exactly the same spot for four days, 21-24 June. Then, on 25 June, the sun's rising spot starts moving south and the days progressively grow shorter in the North whilst they become longer in the South.
Since the sunrise spot does not move, the ancients called this the solstice. That word is derived from Latin and basically means 'sun stands still'. The same thing happens in December when the sunrise spot is stationary from 21-24 December, moving north once again on 25 December. We all know the revelry, feasting, and gift-giving that comes with the December solstice, but in ancient times the June solstice was also marked by festivals and merrymaking and the lighting of massive bonfires was common.
Well, I won't light a fire and dance around it or otherwise have any merrymaking--at least not this year. But I wondered if anybody else was going to do something. I'd be interested in your ideas so that when Midsummer's Day comes in 2013 I can celebrate in style.
Quendi