How to Celebrate Summer Solstice With Your Children

Summer Soltice of 2009 is happening on June 21st. The longest day of the year, when the sun is at a stand still. Summer Solstice also marks the suns start of it's journey back to the dark night. Days start to get shorter. It gives us a really good reasons to celebrate summer though and brings some old traditions to our childrens attention. Some know this holiday as MidSummer, but the celebrations of MidSummer took place proceding the Solstice celebrations. This is a time when abundance is great. Many traditions throughout time have celebrated the Solstices, Ancient Egypt, and Aztecs of Mexico, Chinese, Chumash Indians of California, Indigenous Europeans. In present time you will find the Solstices celebrated by neo-pagan, Western Mystery tradition, Wiccan, Native American and the Catholic tradition as the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Here are some great modern ways you can share this celebration with your children.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 

   You might consider holding a huge bonfire and invite your family and all the children. Traditionally, bonfires represented a purification and rebirth; the fire is used to recreate and set things anew. You can hold a Summer Solstice bonfire to celebrate and honor the summer. A bonfire can go really good with some stories of old that are retold to the people attending your bonfire. Children will see a unique perspective that modern stories usually do not hold.

2. 

   Hold a potluck. Everyone can enjoy the abundance of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and grains. This is a time to be grateful for the crops that are being sold at your local farmers markets. A roast could be yummy too. Something hearty to fill up on and make smiles on everyones faces. The first (or only) full moon in June is called the Honey Moon. Tradition holds that this is the best time to harvest honey from the hives. Maybe you could include honey in a recipe.

3. 

   Taking your children to pick your own apples or other in season crops. In the old tradition way, they would gather magical herbs on Summer Solstice. Divining the future for love would also happen on this day. In 17th century England, maids picked two sprigs of orpine and hung them up in pairs from the ceiling, divining the future of their relationship by whether or not the plants inclined toward each other or apart. In Finland, girls would often go to the fields to gather seven different kinds of wild flowers and grasses. If you slept with these tucked under your pillow, you will dream of your future mate.

4. 

   Make a Midsummer wreath. Circles are a great symbol of the sun. Use summer flowers. Sunflowers would be a perfect one. Any kind of flowers would be nice for this. Keep in mind the theme of abundance, so when a particular flower is in peak bloom in June, this makes it a perfect Summer Solstice flower. There are web sites that teach you how to make flower wreaths.

5. 

   Sitting by the morning sunrise and eating eggs *sunny-side-up* can be a nice memory to have. The breakfast table should be a positive space, and a great start to the day. Water color or chalk art with the kids can be a fun way to draw beneath the sunset later. The point is to observe and celebrate the sun.

Tips & Warnings

• Camping is another great activity you can do to celebrate Summer Solstice. Here is how to do it for FREE http://www.ehow.com/how_5094025_go-michigan-possibly-other-sites.html

[edieness]

on 6/17/2009 I love kiddies and we love to celebrate.5

[johnrapp]

on 6/12/2009 i love the pictures! 5 stars.

[ianto]

on 6/12/2009 That's cool. Presenting the Solstice as a family celebration. Good work and well written. 5*