Things are at their peak of health and most times, happiness. There are block parties, picnics, barbecues, fairs, festivals, carnivals, and 4th of July celebrations!
The height of Summer, when the day is longest, is called the summer solstice. The summer solstice is when a planet's’ axis, in either northern or southern hemispheres, is closest to the star it orbits. This year in the northern hemisphere, it will be on June 20th at 9:24 pm. While most people do not see the importance or difference of this day, it was commonly celebrated by many civilizations in history including Native Americans, the ancient Chinese, the Mayans and Aztecs, the ancient Romans, the Celtic high priests, the Vikings, and the ancient Greeks. In European culture, the Solstice was noted as an especially magical time when mystical creatures like fairies reveal themselves to the eyes of humans.
European writers like Shakespeare also showed the symbolic importance of the day with his iconic play, “A Midsummer Night's Dream”. The summer solstice has deep pagan roots and for Christians, it marks the festival of St. John the Baptist. The day also holds many annual festivals in its honor. One of the most famous and perhaps the oldest is the festival that takes place at the famous Stonehenge monument in Europe.
Yet those are dated traditions that everyday people do not keep up with. One way you can celebrate it personally for yourself is pausing your year and allowing yourself to appreciate the months that have already passed by. Even though it is not the end of Summer, it is the peak of it, which is the beginning of the end. That makes it a perfect middle point between Spring and Winter.
Have fun and keep your eyes trained to the sky when June 20th rolls around!
Have A Wonderful Summer!
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