Midsummer Traditions

Midsummer has always been a time for celebration and dancing. Traditionally, there were bonfires to celebrate the Sun. The bonfires were believed to have the power to burn away all negativity and evil. People jumped the flames, much as they had at Beltane, making wishes. It was believed that the summer grains would grow only as high as they were able to jump. The Celts built their bonfires near holy wells or on a border or boundary of some sort because they considered borders to be magickal entrances to the Underworld. In some places, people light fires on midsummer eve. They stay up until midnight to welcome in midsummer day, and, when the fires die down, men run or jump through the embers to bring good luck.

Ancient Pagans had a custom for Midsummer which consisted of wrapping straw around the wheel of a cart, lighting it on fire, and then rolling it down a tall hill. These flaming wheels were called "Catherine Wheels" and they emulated the action of the sun, which would begin waning after Midsummer day. If the fire went out before the wheel got to the bottom of the hill, it indicated a good harvest.

Since Midsummer is both a time of protection and of divination, in ancient times, the rootstock of a male fern plant was trimmed into the likeness of a hand and smoked in the Midsummer fires. These 'Hands of Glory' were hung in houses for protection. It was said that if the hands glowed with a blue flame, they were revealing hidden treasure in the earth.

There is still a famous summer solstice celebration at Stonehenge, the ancient stone circle on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. On the night before midsummer, a group of white-robed Druids gather at Stonehenge to watch the sun rising. As it comes up, the sun rises exactly over the Heel Stone, one of the stones that lies outside the main circle at Stonehenge.

Many midsummer celebrations were moved to the feast of St John the Baptist (24th June). But since Midsummer was a time of magic and wonder-working, evil spirits were said to appear, and people gathered herbs and flowers to protect themselves. One of the most powerful was the plant known as 'chase-devil', which we now call St John's Wort. People used it in potions, and wove the flowers into garlands to decorate their houses or protect their farm animals. They believed that the herb could shield them from the power of evil spirits and could help them foretell the future.

Symbols of Midsummer

There are many symbols of Midsummer, all with a similar theme, that of fire or the Sun. Some of these symbols include...

All Rayed Flowers.

Bonfires

Daisies

Equal-armed Crosses

Fire

Herbs

Roses

Rosettes

Sun Wheels

The Sun

Torches

Midsummer Poem (Prayer To My Lord)

© Rev. Raven Spirit 2007

Lord of Light, Lord of Shades
You run wild and free in the forest glades
The Hooded One, Jack in the Green
Inside our souls you can be seen
Herne the Hunter, Mighty Stag
You have pierced me with your sacred rack
Great Father, Sacred King
Your child I have vowed to be
Pan the Satyr, The Great Horned God
Your pipes play on, though they thought you gone
Great Spirit, Father Sky
I will look for you through astral eyes
Lord of Rest, King of Shadows
Plant your seeds my soul is fallow
Mighty Lord of many faces
I give you honor you give me your graces

Midsummer Recipes

Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salads are a great summer cooler and a terrific way to utilize this plentiful summer vegetable.

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon chopped chives

3 small cucumbers, thinly sliced

Directions...

1. Combine the sour cream, parsley, vinegar, sugar, and chives.

2. Gently fold in cucumbers.

3. Cover and chill.

Pink Dandelion Wine

This is a think ahead recipe as it takes one year to age properly. During the hot summer months, when dandelions dot your unsprayed, unpolluted yard (or if you are growing them in your garden), smile, thank the earth and make some ritual wine for next year or as a gift to someone. Then, in a year, enjoy this gift of Earth and Sky (or use it as an offering for the fairies!)

2 quarts dandelions blossoms

2 quarts water

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

1 lemon

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

4-5 cups sugar

1/3 cake active yeast (or wine yeast)

Take the blossoms, remove stem and leaves, and boil in water. Remove from heat and let stand overnight, then strain. Then add lemon, raspberries, cinnamon and sugar (so its overly sweet to the taste). Warm mixture over low flame until the sugar is dissolved (honey many be substituted in equal proportions).

Directions...

Next, when the mixture is lukewarm, add active yeast which as been suspended in warm water. Cover the pan with a towel and let it set for three days undisturbed. As you check it, visualise the energy in your wine increasing even as the bubbles are forming ( a sign of fermentation starting).

Finally, strain the mixture again and bottle in loosely corked bottles. Once the corks no longer pop out, tasted to see if the wine needs any additional sugar. If so, return it to the stove and sweeten to taste, but bring it to a boil so as to kill the yeast. Cork tightly and let age for one year in a cool, dark area best results.

Sunny Fruit Salad

This yummy salad recipe was given to me by a very good friend. Feel free to change the type of fruit in it, vary the amount of fruits or use whatever fresh fruit you can find. You can even use sugar free pudding to make it an even lighter snack. Note: I find that using the canned fruit in extra light syrup or in its own juice makes an even fresher tasting salad.

1 16oz. Can Pineapple chunks

2 small cans Mandarin oranges

1 can sliced Peaches (cut into chunks)

1 bottle Maraschino Cherries

3 fresh Bananas (sliced)

1 pint fresh Strawberries (cut into chunks)

2 cups Red seedless Grapes (sliced in half)

1 small box instant Vanilla pudding

Directions...

1. Open all the canned (or bottled) fruit and drain the juice into a medium sized bowl. Then empty the fruit into a large bowl.

2. Slice or cut up all the fresh fruit into the large bowl with the rest of the fruit.

3. Measure the fruit juice. If you do not have 3 cups of fruit juice, add enough cold, fresh water to reach 3 cups.

4. Pour the juice back into the medium bowl and empty the instant pudding into it. Blend with a mixer until well mixed.

5. Pour this mixture over the fruit and stir well. Refrigerate until time to enjoy... and prepared to make more.

Lemon Balm Stuffed Daylilies

1 cup diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup diced celery

2 tablespoons minced fresh lemon balm leaves

8 freshly picked daylilies

Directions...

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, celery and lemon balm; set aside.

2. Remove stamens and pistils from daylilies. Wash flowers in cool water; pat dry with paper towels.

3. Spoon the chicken salad into the blossoms. Serve immediately.

Alternatives: The filling may also be spread on crackers or toasted bread rounds for appetizers.

Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes

4 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained

1 lemon, juiced

2 cups mayonnaise

4 stalks celery, diced

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

8 fresh tomatoes

Directions...

1. Wash the tomatoes, Cut the tops off them, and hollow them out a bit and set them aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the tuna, lemon juice, mayonnaise, celery and pickle relish. Mix together well.

3. Use the tuna mixture to stuff the tomatoes with and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Orange Honey Butter

2 Tablespoons Grated Orange Rind

3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

1 Tablespoon honey

Directions...

1. Combine the orange rind, powdered sugar, butter and honey in a small bowl and blend until well mixed.

2. Chill slightly and serve with biscuits.

Rose Geramium Punch

2 quarts apple juice

1 cup sugar

4 to 6 rose geranium leaves (3 inch diameter), washed

3 limes, thinly sliced

Additional geranium leaves, optional

Directions...

1. In a large saucepan, bring apple juice, sugar and geranium leaves to a boil; boil for 5 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat; stir in limes.

3. Cool and strain. Chill.

4. Garnish with geranium leaves if desired.

Midsummer Traditions	Midsummer Symbols
Midsummer Poem	Recipes for the Midsummer Feast

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