Solstice celebrations?

[jdhowland]

Happy summer solstice!

Does anyone else celebrate these things?

Here in Alaska it's a big deal for some. Friends of mine put on an all-night party with bonfires, improvisational drumming (on drums made from hollow cottonwood logs with moosehide stretched over the top) and, of course lots of food and drink. If you spill some of your drink you just call it a libation to Frigg or Woden and carry on--I guess we're a fairly heathen lot.

On my last visit to San Diego during a solstice I was surprised to learn that no one I met knew of any celebration. But it made sense--they have a lot of sunlight already.

It's different here. We put black plastic over bedroom windows so we can get some sleep while the kids play out in the street at midnight. But we know it will soon be gone...

Personally, I like the dark of winter. My wife doesn't. She always thinks about moving south to "America" by April. In June she doesn't know why anyone would want to live anywhere else.

[Lucas]

its interesting that you mention bonfires. many of the northern 'euro' cultures, danes, finnish, norse, celt, etc. celebrate the summer solstice with bonfires (and of course drink and food) to ward off the spirits of winter that are free to wander the land during the times of little sun. its just neat to see the way old traditions still effect our modern ways of doing things.

[Hebrew Hammer]

You might have found a small celebration in San Diego's Balboa Park area, its just generally recognized here for its longest day of the year as apposed to old pagan rituals. Sunshine is in full abundance.

Last year I was stopped by the authorities for attempting to sacrifice a Christian child to Odin. I was sooo close.

[Lucas]

You might have found a small celebration in San Diego's Balboa Park area, its just generally recognized here for its longest day of the year as apposed to old pagan rituals. Sunshine is in full abundance.

Last year I was stopped by the authorities for attempting to sacrifice a Christian child to Odin. I was sooo close.

fuggin cops! dude i finished reading the last of the saxon series....now i need a hammer amulet.

[sanjuro_ronin]

[sanjuro_ronin]

Ah, the summer solstice...

[jdhowland]

its interesting that you mention bonfires. many of the northern 'euro' cultures, danes, finnish, norse, celt, etc. celebrate the summer solstice with bonfires (and of course drink and food) to ward off the spirits of winter that are free to wander the land during the times of little sun. its just neat to see the way old traditions still effect our modern ways of doing things.

An Estonian friend tells me they still do the fires in some places. I believe it's now associated with the feast of St. John or somesuch dignitary. Brits and Germans still have quite a bit of fun with the fires and rolling, burning bundles of hay. Actually it's all still there, from Christmas candles to the Easter hare. Can't say I would ever approve human sacrifice--it's already been done, although I would hate to discourage Hebrew Hammer in his efforts. Even that has survived in the institution of the hanging sentence for condemned criminals that obtains in some states. The globe newel posts or lamps that traditionally were displayed in front of police stations were a sign of capital powers--a continuation of the old "Celtic" head cult (they used to represent human heads). My friends who hold the solstice party every year parade a moose skull on a stick--a survival of the old hobbyhorse ritual. If you've ever seen the ritual of "groundbreaking" for a new structure, that's as old as it gets and the spade becomes a religious instrument to take command of the soil in the area. Let's see, ship's "christenings"...what else?