The longest day of the year is celebrated many different ways across the world. This date usually falls near June 21. At the time of this solstice, the Earth is at the point of its orbit where the hemisphere in question is most tilted towards the sun, causing the sun to appear at its farthest above the celestial equator when viewed from earth. For the southern hemisphere, the summer solstice falls on or near December 21st.
Often in rhythm with the natural world people live in, global celebrations of this day reflect and respond to the plants, animals and planetary cycles of whatever part of earth people are from. Wiccans and many other pagans often think of Litha when they discuss the summer solstice, but across the world it's celebrated in many different ways with some interesting parallels we'll discuss a bit later.
For the Norse peoples, the summer solstice was the time of year to pay homage to the fertility deities, Frey & Freyr. They believed it was a time where evil spirits thrived and huge bonfires were lit to ward off evil. Wildflowers and herbs were used to give dreams to foresee the future - to this day many northern Europeans put wildflowers under their pillows in hopes of dreaming of their future partners on Midsummer's eve. Today festivals and parades are held instead of animal sacrifice, but feasting and dancing the maypole are traditions celebrated for thousands of years.
While Sol was the sun goddess of pagan Norse tribes, the summer solstice was most often linked with Freyr. He is a god of virility, peace, good weather, the sun and the harvest, while his sister is the goddess of fertility, love, battle and death. Sol's two horses were also worshipped as they carried their precious sun across the sky.
When Christianity came to the north, they shrewdly decided to keep the popular summer solstice but rebrand it as St John's day. Many of the same festival activities, but they forbid pagan sacrifice, neutered the sexuality/fertility symbols of the maypole (among other things), eventually making it into something predominantly done by children. Also, while bonfires were kept, instead of warding off bad spirits, it was celebrated as a way to burn witches.
In East Asia, many celebrate this day with dragon boat racing, feasting on foods like Zongzhi, a dumpling that can be either filled with sweet things like red bean paste & Chinese dates or savory roasted pork & shitake mushrooms and noodles made especially long to celebrate health, longevity and the length of the days in the summer. Before recently, dragon boat races were only done by men, because the day is considered the height of dragon (masculine) energy in their calendar, but women participate today as well.
Healing herbs were and are still a big part of this day as well; draping Wormwood, Chinese Garlic, Pomegranate Flowers & Calamus Plants on doors/mantels to keep out insects, deter snakes and ward of sickness. In fact, just like the peoples of northern Europe, the Chinese associate the summer solstice with bad luck, misfortune and natural disasters - because natural disasters often occurred during that time. Floods, typhoons, plagues, venomous snakes and poisonous plants/insects are all more active during the hottest times of the year.
Traditionally (before the Qing dynasty) the day was a national holiday where people honored the earth and its related deities, praying for a natural disaster-free summer, appeasing the gods of their local rivers, streams and coastlines in ways unique to each region and deity. Today in China, it's no longer a considered a national holiday, but the dragon boat races are still held in Japan, Taiwan, parts of China, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, the US, the UK and many more.
In Ancient Egypt, the longest day meant the star Sirius would appear, and with it, the floodwaters of the Nile, bringing rain and good crops. Ra, as their main sun god, was widely worshipped during this period, as he rose with the waters of the Nile. He as considered the creator of all life and ruler of sun, sky and kings. It was also celebrated as the new year and several large temples were built to highlight the alignment of the sun.
Present day Egypt is predominantly a Muslim country and while they do use a lunar calendar, the summer solstice isn't marked by anything officially. However, Eid-al-Fatr is often celebrated during this time of year. Eid is at the end of the holy month of Ramadan and this date changes based on how the moon is recorded in a given year. For example, in 2021, Eid falls in mid-May. Eid in 2019 was June 3rd/4th.
This holiday celebrates the breaking of a fast held during Ramadan, because of this, feasting is common and eating before attending their mosque's morning prayers. Washing that morning and buying new clothes to wear that day both represent the rebirth and refresh that comes from a month of fasting.
Like many other cultures, a white animal is sacrificed during this time. In Islam, it represenets the sacrifice Ibrahim makes for Allah. His beloved son being replaced by a white animal during this day's sacrifice.
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