What Is Summer Solstice?

The longest day of the year is upon us as summer began at 1:04 a.m. Friday, June 21.

What is summer solstice or “Midsummer”? Is it more than a celestial alignment? Were monuments really constructed in honor of this annual event? How do we celebrate today? We try to answer these questions but would love your input as well! 

Longer Days

The Farmer’s Almanac states that "the word solstice comes from the Latin words for "sun" and "to stop," due to the fact that the sun appears to stop in the sky.” With the sun high overhead Friday.  How do you spend your longer days? More time outside or more hours working? We think we know the answer to this one…

Stonehenge

Though there’s no official word on the purpose of Stonehenge, this circle monument made from stone might have been specifically constructed for today's celestial occurrence. Perhaps this is the reason thousands of people head to Stonehenge, located just outside Wiltshire, England, every year to celebrate the summer solstice.

According to History.com, the monument is built on the solstice alignment and for more than a century, people gathered to celebrate the occasion. In 1985, according to the website, the celebrations were cancelled and then re-instated again in 2000. An average of 30,000 people, mostly neo-pagan groups, flock to Stonehenge for the celebration. See photos of last year’s celebration on June 21, 2010, on the Huffington Post or on theWashington Post websites. You can also visit the monument’s official website here. 

Origins and Celebrations

It’s hard to find a lot of information about the origins of the Summer Solstice or “equinox.” According to Timeanddate.com, “In ancient times, the date of the June solstice was an important source to help people manage their calendars and organize when to plant and harvest crops.” The website adds that this is the traditional time of the year for weddings… still is today!

“In ancient China, the summer solstice,” they report, “was observed by a ceremony to celebrate the earth, femininity, and the “yin” forces. It complemented the winter solstice that celebrated the heavens, masculinity and “yang” forces.” Other cultures have different celebrations or exact meanings of the celebration but many refer to femininity and fertility.

Most commonly associated with Pagan traditions, the website states that the summer solstice or “Midsummer,” was marked by in ancient Germanic, Slav and Celtic tribes with bonfires. “After Christianity spread in Europe and other parts of the world, many pagan customs were incorporated into the Christian religion. In many parts of Scandinavia, the Midsummer celebration continued but was observed around the time of St John’s Day, on June 24, to honor St John the Baptist instead of the pagan gods.”

In North America, the website states that Native American tribes held rituals to honor the sun and that the Sioux were most well known for theirs.

In addition to dancing, the Suiox would paint their bodies in the symbolic colors of red (sunset), blue (sky), yellow (lightning), white (light), and black (night).