Midsummer is a period of time in the summer celebrating the summer solstice, midsummer is also a celebration of life and love. Midsummer is celebrated on June 24th and traditionally it is a day that is meant for us to appreciate all the gifts that nature gives us.
The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year which fall on June 21st, but because the old Julian calendar marked it differently, the date for Midsummer Day remains June 24th.
Midsummer is a day for us to appreciate all the gifts that nature gave us.
The origins of Midsummer
Traditionally midsummer is celebrated with music, dancing around the maypole with flowers in your hair and lots of food and drink.
Midsummer is the longest day of the year and was long considered a magical night. In agrarian times, the Swedes arranged Midsummer celebrations to welcome summertime and the season of fertility.
Midsummer is a centuries-old Germanic tradition. People celebrated the summer solstice, the day on which plants were said to have healing and magical properties. Bonfires were lit to protect against the forces of darkness, which were said to run free during the shorter days. So it was a festival to celebrate Nature, and more specifically Summer.
The midsummer traditions include singing songs and dancing until the sun sets, telling stories, searching to find the magic fern blossom at midnight, jumping over bonfires, greeting the rising midsummer sun and washing the face with a morning dew, young girls float flower wreaths on the water of river or lake.
Young girls looking for love on midsummer would gather seven different flowers to place under their pillow, and it was said they would dream of their future husbands.
Flower crowns, wreaths, dancing around the maypole and a sun that never sets... Midsummer!
Walk 21k Steps with us!
This year we are supporting the Dublin Simon Community with their Longest Day 2022.
For most of us, the longer, brighter days are a welcome gift; they give us a chance to fit more into our evening and feel like we’re getting more out of our day.
But, if you’re experiencing homelessness, you just want the day to be over.
The extra hours of daylight just mean there’s more time to fill, walking long distances to access basic services before you can bed down for the night on a quiet side street, or try to get some sleep in a busy emergency accommodation service.
In a typical shift, their Outreach team can clock up at least 20,000 steps each as they walk the streets linking in with people who sleep rough across Dublin. As for the people they help, it’s often a lot more.
This June 21st, they are asking you to walk 21,000 steps in solidarity with people who walk the streets all day long with no place to call home, no sense of security, and no idea when their suffering will end.
Where and how you reach your 21,000 step goal is completely up to you – you might walk to work instead of taking the car, do a quick lap of the block on your lunch break or take the stairs instead of the lift, and our fundraising team will be there to help you every step of the way.
Sign up now at the link below to set up your fundraising page to share with your friends and family. By taking part, you can help to make home a reality for those facing their longest days.
I'm doing the Longest Day to fundraise for Dublin Simon Community. On the 21st June, I will walk 21,000 steps in solidarity with the people who walk the streets all day long with no place to call home, no sense of security and no idea when their suffering will end.
All funds raised here will go directly to Dublin Simon Community.
I hope that you can help me by donating whatever you can.
Simply click the Donate button. All donations are processed securely.
You can also share my page using the share options. This is a great way to show your support.
Thank you so much!
Read more about Longest Day.
