Hendricks Gin Midsummer Solstice Limited Edition Gin, 70 cl

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What is the definition of a solstice, and when do they happen? Is the winter solstice always the first day of winter? Find out what causes these bi-annual astronomical events, as well as how they bring about the shortest and longest days of the year. The summer solstice was called Ukon juhla ("Ukko's celebration") after the Finnish god Ukko. After the celebrations were Christianized, the holiday became known as juhannus after John the Baptist (Finnish: Johannes Kastaja).

However, the axis of rotation of the Earth is not lined up with the axis of motion around the Sun. Instead, it is tilted slightly at 23.44°. Main article: Jaanipäev Estonians celebrating Midsummer with a bonfire and traditional village swing in Keemu, Pärnu County.While some have theorized that Stonehenge was the location of prehistoric summer solstice rituals, there’s little archaeological evidence that it was used this way. Modern-day Solstice Celebrations There’s a long, leisurely dinner that includes traditional Swedish foods such as herring and potatoes. It is also said that, if a girl puts flowers under her pillow that night, she will dream of her future husband. In Romania, the Midsummer celebrations are named Drăgaica or Sânziene. Drăgaica is celebrated by a dance performed by a group of 5–7 young girls of which one is chosen as the Drăgaica. She is dressed as a bride, with wheat wreath, while the other girls, dressed in white wear a veil with bedstraw flowers. Midsummer fairs are held in many Romanian villages and cities. The oldest and best known midsummer fair in Romania is the Drăgaica fair, held in Buzău between 10 and 24 June every year. There are many superstitions related to this day, particularly those involving marriage or death. The term Sânziene originates in the Latin "Sancta Diana", and superstitions relating to this day are mainly romantic in nature, referring to young girls and their marriage prospects.

British Library Harleian Mss 2345, edited by J. Kemble, The Saxons in England, vol. I:361, quoted in George C. Homans, English Villagers of the Thirteenth Century, 2nd ed. 1991. pp.369-370. In traditional fisher towns, festivities take place on Saint Peter's Day, Póvoa do Varzim, which became a municipal holiday in the 1960s. Póvoa de Varzim's Saint Peter Festival keeps traditional "Santos Populares" elements, such as the bonfire, street celebrations, and include the rusgas, in which inhabitants of one quarter ( bairro) parade to other neighbourhoods in the evening of June 28. Women are dressed as tricana (women dressed in a traditional costume with a sensual walking style). Each neighbourhood has its own festival and colors for identification. Main article: bonfires of Saint John Bonfire at Almadrava beach on Saint John's night. Bonfires are very common in Spain and Portugal. McNamara, Beth Branigan (2000). Christian Beginnings. Our Sunday Visitor. ISBN 9780879730765. In England, 'Saint John's Tide' is combined with a midsummer celebration. Instead of the date of the summer so stice, they chose June 24. This may be because of the Baptist's own words, 'He must increase, must decrease' (John 3:30). John was, of course, referring to Jesus. John's day comes at the time when the sun is beginning to decrease, and six months later, Christmas, comes at the time when the sun is beginning to increase.

Want to learn more about Scandinavian Midsummer? Find out about how the Danes celebrate and why the day is so important to the Swedes. Ready to celebrate yourself? Make a Midsummer flower crown! traditionally and more common in the Paulistânia cultural area and Northeastern Brazil, where it's public holiday in many states such as Pernambuco and Alagoas (in this country the celebration became a Midwinter celebration, due to the fact of being almost completely located in the Southern hemisphere) As in Denmark, Sankthansaften is celebrated on June 23 in Norway. [59] The day is also called Jonsok, which means "John's wake", important in Roman Catholic times with pilgrimages to churches and holy springs. For instance, up until 1840, there was a pilgrimage to the Røldal Stave Church in Røldal (southwest Norway) whose crucifix was said to have healing powers. Today, however, Sankthansaften is largely regarded as a secular or even pre-Christian event.

The holiday originated as a pagan celebration to welcome the summer season and ensure a successful harvest. It may have been associated with local gods, such as Ukko, the Finnish god of thunder who controlled the rain and thus the fertility of the land. Festivities included dancing, singing, drinking, cleaning house, lighting bonfires, and collecting flowers. Two northeastern towns in particular have competed with each other for the title of "Biggest Saint John Festival in the World", namely Caruaru (in the state of Pernambuco), and Campina Grande, in Paraíba. The festivities also coincide with the corn harvest, dishes served during this period are commonly made with corn, such as canjica and pamonha; dishes also include boiled or baked vegetable corn (often buttered), sausages, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and numerous sweet dishes such as rice pudding. The celebrations are very colorful and festive and include the use of fireworks and bonfires. a b Birt, Hazel Lauttamus (1988). "New Finland Homecoming 1888–1988" (republished online by Saskatchewan Gen Web Julia Adamson) . Retrieved 2010-12-07.a b c "Midsummer". Government of Sweden. 10 January 2018 . Retrieved 25 March 2018. In Sweden, they were mainly found in the southern part of the country. Young people also liked to visit holy springs, where they drank the healing water and amused themselves with games and dancing. These visits were a reminder of how John the Baptist baptised Christ in the River Jordan. An important feature of the midsummer in Finland is the white night and the midnight sun. Because of Finland's location around the Arctic Circle the nights near the midsummer day are short (with twilight even at midnight) or non-existent. This gives a great contrast to the darkness of the winter time. The temperature can vary between 0°C and +30°C, with an average of about 20°C in the South.