How to Celebrate Summer Solstice in Poland

In Poland, people celebrate the summer solstice as a holiday of fire and water. Although the celebration has ancient roots in earth worship, it is also a celebration of the Christian saint, Saint John the Baptist. Large cities in Poland hold events for several days before and after June 23.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flowers
• Herbs
• Wire
• Sticks

1. Head down to the local river or the sea for a ritual bathing. This tradition is said to cleanse you and help keep you young and fertile during the remainder of the year.

2. Dress for Saint John's celebrations. Women traditionally wear white dresses.

3. Gather sticks to help with the traditional lighting of the summer solstice bonfires. In Poland, bonfires are lit by rubbing two pieces of wood together to produce a spark. This is said to be another way to celebrate the fertility aspect of the holiday.

4. Round up a supply of herbs, flowers and vines to create a wreath for the event called "Wianki." Combine your materials into a wreath by twining each piece together around a piece of wire that adds stability. Tie a few ribbons around the wreath so that you can tell yours apart from other wreaths.

5. Bring the wreaths you made to a local river on Saint John's Day. Once the official ceremonies are over, you can toss your wreath into the river along with those of the rest of the crowd.

6. Watch as your wreath floats away. Polish tradition says that if you are a woman and your wreath is picked up by a man, he will be the one you marry.

7. Travel to the town center to watch the bonfire structures being built.

8. Gather any remaining herbs from building your wreath and watch as the summer solstice bonfire is lit near sundown. According to Polish pagan tradition, you can get good luck by throwing these herbs into the fire.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan to arrive several days before June 23 if you will be visiting a large Polish city like Krakow. Saint John's Eve celebrations draw a lot of tourists, and hotels can fill up quickly.
• If you are a woman, expect men to kiss your hand goodbye.
• Address Polish people by their surnames until they ask you to use their first names. The Poles are firm believers in good manners.
• When visiting Polish restaurants or homes to celebrate Summer Solstice feasts, always try at least a bit of all of the food offered. Many Poles find it incredibly rude to refuse to try a dish.