Summer solstice- This important date calendar Since ancient times, this day was considered one of the most unusual and most significant of the year. And in 2018, its energy will be special.

In many cultures, this day has or had the status of a holiday. Until now, many observations, traditions, and signs are associated with this day. On such powerful days, the negativity accumulated in the house or apartment is neutralized. People are being transformed, not only globally, but also as individuals.

The astronomical meaning of the summer solstice

Solstice in the usual sense is a day. In fact, this is just some extremely short period of time, a point in space that our planet crosses in space. There are four such important points in total: summer and winter solstice, and spring and autumn equinox.

At such moments, the Earth crosses important points in its orbit. Since this happens on a certain day, it is customary to consider such an event a day among the common people. At the moment of the summer Solstice, the angle at which the Earth is tilted relative to the Sun will be maximum, so the rays will fall on the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth as vertically and as long as possible on this day.

It is important to understand that on this same day the angle of incidence of the Sun’s rays will begin to decrease, that is, the length of the day will begin to decrease. In fact, it will come astronomical autumn. The summer solstice is that invisible and extremely a fine line between summer and autumn.

Since everything is always accurate in space, the Earth always passes the summer solstice point on the same day, namely, 21st of June. Moscow time, this turning point will occur at 13:07.

History, traditions and features of the holiday in 2018

From the very ancient times people have always paid great attention only on two objects in space - the Moon and the Sun, because they are visible to the naked eye. Slavs, Celts, Chinese - all worshiped the Sun and believed that it gives the world only the best.

The Slavs associated the solstice day with the day of Ivan Kupala. But since church calendar has shifted, the date of the celebration of Ivan Kupala has also become different and no longer coincides with the solstice. Until now, in Russia they pay tribute to the traditions of their ancestors, conducting various rituals for a fruitful year and good health.

There were and still are many signs on the day of the Solstice that people believe:

• if June 21, 2018 is a rainy day, the harvest will be bad;
• if on this day you meet a person with whom you will later fall in love, then such a relationship will be very bright and, possibly, extremely long-lasting;
• if a child was born on the night of June 20-21, then he will be extremely lucky in life. Since 2018 is the time of the Earth Dog, a child born on the holiday will be happy in family life.

One of the main traditions northern peoples — burn a fire on the night of June 21, because this day is also called the day of the Sun, whose symbol is fire. This tradition is characteristic of many peoples of Europe, including the Slavs, because in the middle zone winter and summer are very contrasting.

In bioenergy, June 21 is called a day of incredible power, because the Sun will share its energy for a very long time. This is the day creative people, great time for conception, for starting new things and finishing old ones. From negative aspects One can only highlight the increased consumption of this same energy in humans. It is important to understand your goals and set them correctly.

Feelings and emotions can run high on the summer solstice, so don't allow yourself to be overly negative towards anyone. Try to get rid of internal worries and insecurities. This is a special day that happens only once a year, but it is the one that can give you the opportunity to understand yourself and build a bright future.

The calendar we are used to says that the year begins on the first of January and is divided into 12 months. But nature has its own laws, which, unfortunately, are poorly coordinated with astronomy. However, our ancestors knew and respected the laws of nature. The most important holiday a day was counted in the annual cycle winter solstice– when will it be in 2019 and what practices are recommended for everyone? Read the details in this article.

First of all, let's figure out what the winter solstice is. On this day we can observe the most long night and the shortest daylight hours of the year. Magical time, isn't it? Our ancestors had no doubt about this.

Holiday dates:

• December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere (these are all countries above the equator);
• June 20 or 21 – in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia, most countries Latin America and etc.).

The exact date depends on the year, it's all about the calendar shift due to leap years.

In 2019, the winter solstice will occur on December 22 at 07:19 am Moscow time. If you live in another region, you can calculate the time yourself, knowing Moscow time.

On this day the Sun reaches its lowest position. Then, at the end of December and January, it rises higher above the horizon, making daylight longer.

In astrology, on this day the Sun moves from the zodiac sign Sagittarius to the sign Capricorn, and astrological winter begins (the period of the signs Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces).

Since Capricorn is associated with planning, at this time it is advisable to think through and write down goals for the coming year. Think about what is truly important to you and what you want to get rid of.

Our ancestors viewed the solstice as a time of rebirth, the emergence of hope and the joyful beginning of the path to solar abundance.

Some call it a holiday - winter equinox. However, this is not true. The equinox occurs in spring and autumn, in March and September, when the day equal to night. And in winter and summer there are solstices.

Table of winter solstices until 2025

Year	Date and time in Moscow
2019	December 22 07:19
2020	21 December 13:02
2021	December 21 18:59
2022	December 22 00:48
2023	December 22 06:27
2024	December 21 12:20
2025	December 21 18:03

What is so special about the solstices and equinoxes? See more about the astronomical meaning of this amazing phenomenon in the video:

Rituals and rituals

Many rituals are recommended to be performed on the day of the solstice. The fact is that this is the shortest and most mysterious day of the year. When a colossal amount of energy is generated in nature, but it does not manifest itself clearly, but is hidden in the dark corners of the longest night.

Before carrying out any rituals (several days before the holiday), it is necessary to carry out a thorough cleaning of the entire apartment or house:

1. Wash everything, even the most secluded corners.
2. Put things in order, put things in their places.
3. Clear out your closet and decide what you need and what you don't.
4. Collect unnecessary items and distribute them to those in need.

Thanks to such actions, you will clear space in your life for something new and joyful.

Ritual of letting go

• Write down on paper everything negative and bad that happened during the year - what you want to get rid of or forget.
• Say the appropriate words that you must choose for yourself. For example: “I forgive and let go of everything that happened” or “I leave these events in the past, let them go away and never return.”
• Now burn a piece of paper, imagining how your sorrows are burned in the fire. And problems disappear with the smoke.
• Feel liberated.

Ritual to fulfill a wish

A wish is made at dawn:

• Stand facing east - look in the direction where the reborn Sun rises.
• Thank the Sun for all the good things in your life and ask for help in the coming season.
• Make a wish - try to mention as many details as possible.
• Imagine that your wish has already come true. What do you feel? Let your imagination paint happy pictures.

On this holiday, it’s good to make wishes that involve renewing your life and attracting something new. It is also recommended to drink ginger tea throughout the day.

If your desire involves accumulating money, then ideal option will open a bank savings account on the solstice or the next day. By doing this, you will not only conceive what you want, but also take the first step towards realization. Which is very important.

Ritual for cleansing

Carried out in the bathroom:

• Fill the bathtub with warm water.
• Be sure to add sea ​​salt, because she takes on all the negativity. But it’s better to avoid foam on this day.
• Place several candles in the bathroom (an odd number), turning off the electric lights.
• Prepare some pleasant music for relaxation. These can be sounds of nature, religious chants, ethnic music, and so on.
• Lie down in the bath. Imagine that your body is heavy, filled with the worries of the passing year.
• Now visualize that water and salt are taking away all your problems. And every moment your body becomes lighter.
• Drain the water, imagining that everything bad goes away with it. Rinse off in the shower.

After performing the ritual, you will feel a true renewal at the level of body and soul.

Winter solstice holiday among different nations

Our distant ancestors focused on natural phenomena and the movement of the Sun in calculating time periods. The winter solstice point was significant for the construction of such historical structures as:

• Stonehenge in the UK;
• Newgrange in Ireland.

Their main axes are oriented along the sunrise and sunset on the solstices.

Ancient Roman Saturnalia

IN Ancient Rome On the days of the solstice, the festival of Saturnalia was celebrated in honor of the god Saturn. The celebration lasted from December 17 to 23. By this time, all agricultural work was completed. And people could indulge in celebration and fun.

It was customary to temporarily stop public affairs and send schoolchildren on vacation. It was even forbidden to punish criminals.

Slaves sat at the same table with their masters and were freed from daily labor. There was a symbolic equalization of rights.

Crowds of celebrating people walked in the streets. Everyone praised Saturn. On the days of Saturnalia, a pig was slaughtered as a sacrifice, and then they began to have fun. A tradition of exchanging gifts arose, which later moved on to modern Christmas and New Year.

Yule among the ancient Germans

This is a medieval holiday, one of the main ones of the year. It was celebrated on a grand scale. The word “Yule” was used to describe the longest night of the year, which fell on the winter solstice.

It was believed that on this day the Oak King was reborn, he warmed the frozen ground and gave life to seeds in the soil, which were stored during the long winter, so that by spring they would germinate and give a harvest.

People lit fires in the fields. It was customary to drink alcoholic drink cider. Children went from house to house with gifts. Baskets were woven from branches of evergreens and ears of wheat, and apples and cloves were placed in them, which were sprinkled with flour.

Apples are a symbol of the sun and immortality, and wheat is a symbol of a good harvest. Flour meant light and success.

Houses were also decorated with tree branches: ivy, holly, mistletoe. It was believed that this helped to invite the spirits of nature to join the celebration. Spirits could bestow happy life household members.

On the Yule holiday, a ritual log was burned, the Yule tree was decorated (a prototype of the New Year's tree) and gifts were exchanged. The image of the log has been preserved in many countries to this day.

Holiday in Christianity

In Christianity, these days celebrate the Nativity of Christ. IN Catholic tradition it comes on December 24, when the Sun, after passing its lowest point, is again “reborn” and rises higher.

It is believed that when Christianity replaced paganism, new Christian holidays merged with the pagans. This is how Christmas appeared in his modern form with a decorated Christmas tree and gifts for relatives and friends. After all, in fact, this is the celebration of the birth of Christ, but it is celebrated very similar to the medieval Yule.

In Orthodoxy, due to the use of the Julian calendar, the date is 2 weeks behind the solstice; Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. However, historically it is the same date. It’s just that over the course of two thousand years the solstice point has shifted by half a month.

Holiday in Slavic culture

The Slavs celebrated the day of Karachun - the harsh deity of winter. They believed that Karachun brings winter cold to the earth, plunging nature into winter sleep.

Another name for the deity is Korochun, which means “the shortest.” The winter solstice precedes the rebirth of the Sun.

Bonfires were burned everywhere, which were designed to help the Sun gain victory over death and be reborn. After Karachun the nights waned, and daylight hours became longer.

Subsequently, this deity turned into Frost - a gray-haired old man, from whose breath bitter frosts begin and rivers become covered with ice. The Slavs believed that if Frost hit the hut with his staff, the logs would crack.

Frost does not like those who are afraid of it and hide, complain about the cold and quickly get cold. But to those who are not afraid of him, he bestows rosy cheeks, strength of spirit and good mood. This is reflected in the fairy tale “Morozko”.

Traditionally, when the Sun reaches a declination altitude of +23.5°, the summer solstice begins. In simple words, the angle between the direction to the center of the Sun and the north of the Earth's axis becomes minimal, and the plane passing through the center of the Sun and the Earth's axis is perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic. Surprisingly, above latitude 66.5°, the day lasts a day, the Sun does not set beyond the horizon at all. This is the longest day of the year and the shortest night.

In 2018, like every year except leap years, the summer solstice falls on June 21, 7 a.m. 24m. in Moscow.

Summer solstice among the Slavs

This time was considered ideal for all kinds magical rituals. The Slavs celebrated Ivan Kupala on the day of the summer solstice. IN different regions this holiday was called differently: Kolosok, Yarilin's Day, Kupailo, Solntsekres, Ivan the Herbalist, Kres, but its essence was preserved.

The day of the summer solstice brought with it an increase in the healing abilities of herbs and water. This is the climax vitality, and therefore all traditions and rituals are associated with its main elements: fire, water and herbs.

It was believed that if you bathe before sunset, you can get rid of all diseases. Also, only after this day was it allowed to pluck branches from bath brooms, if before, then the broom will only bring scratching and illness.

One of the main attributes of this holiday there was a fire - a bather. They lit it closer to sunset and had fun for a long time, jumping over the fire, dancing around it and jumping. Usually bonfires were lit on the edge of the village or in a field and they burned until the morning, seemingly driving away evil forces. The fire was traditionally lit by an elder or a respected guy by friction. Girls jumped over the fire, as there was an opinion that it would cleanse them of damage and the evil eye. And if you jump over someone as a couple, holding hands, this is for a wedding in the near future and a long one life together. By burning clothes taken from a sick person, it was possible to burn the disease itself. In no case were the remains of the fire left, it was magic remedy, promoting fertility, so they were scattered throughout vegetable gardens and fields.

This day was the peak healing properties any herbs. They were often collected to make amulets and infusions. There was also a legend about the fern blooming that night. It was believed that it blooms at midnight for a few seconds; it is very difficult to pick it, since everything prevents it from happening. forest evil spirits. Whoever manages to pick the miracle flower will be able to become invisible and understand animals. He will also be able to find treasures and open any locks, will receive the gift of foresight and will be able to take on any form.

Festival of Litha among the Celts

The Celts called this holiday Litha. They decorated their homes with branches and wreaths, into which St. John's wort, birch, fennel and white lilies were always woven. This day was dedicated to songs and dances, rituals and round dances. In the evening it was necessary to leave food and healing herbs for elves and fairies in the grove. At night, the Celts, like the Slavs, lit fires and jumped over them; this, in their opinion, protected the whole family. Embers were left to heal wounds and ward off bad weather during harvest.

Signs for the Summer Solstice

Like all ancient holidays, Summer Solstice Day has its own signs. It was believed that if on this day bad weather, there is no need to wait for the harvest, the year will be poor, and children born on June 21 or 22 have good health, but the “evil” eye. A favorite sign of young people was that if you climb over 12 fences that night, making a wish, within a year it will come true.

If illness bothers you, all you have to do is watch the dawn and whole year they will not disturb you, or take a steam bath using a broom of herbs collected that day. Water and dew were considered healing, so on the Solstice holiday they washed themselves with dew and drank water collected at dawn. And to prevent evil spirits from entering the house, it was necessary to place a burning or prickly plant, nettle or rose hips in the openings of windows and doors.

Fortune telling for the Summer Solstice

Of course, such a mystical holiday could not do without fortune-telling. The girls picked an armful of herbs at midnight, without looking, and hid them under the pillow, and in the morning they looked if there were 12 different herbs there will be a wedding this year. And the most common was throwing wreaths into the water. The answer to many questions depended on how and where he sailed. If it’s fast, the wedding will soon be, and the groom will be on the side where the wreath floated away, and if he drowns, he’ll be a bachelor all his life. If young people followed traditions and used 9 types of wood for the fire, they could jump over it with the one with whom they wanted to connect their lives, and depending on the position of the hands and the sparks from the fire, it was clear whether a wedding would soon take place or not. Now, of course, this holiday is not celebrated so widely, but do not forget to make a wish when looking at the Sun on June 21. After all, on this day the Sun has magical power and incredible energy.

The summer solstice occurs at the moment when the tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation towards the Sun is at its lowest.

What is more obvious to residents of high latitudes is that the summer solstice occurs on the longest day and longest day. short night in the year when the sun rises in the sky at its highest. Since the summer solstice only lasts brief moment time, then for the day when the summer solstice occurs, other names are used, for example: “midsummer”, “longest day” or “first day of summer”.

Depending on the calendar shift, the summer solstice occurs on June 20 or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and December 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Summer Solstice Day 2018: what date?

The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, lasting 17 hours and 33 minutes.

Usually this day falls on June 21, and only in leap years - on the 20th of the same month. So, in 2018, this event will take place on June 21 at 13:07 Moscow time.

But why exactly the solstice? The fact is that on June 21, an ordinary observer gets the impression that the Sun seems to freeze at its zenith and does not move anywhere throughout the day.

The longest day of the year 2018, how long it lasts, date

The Summer Solstice is the longest sunny day of the year. As a rule, it falls on June 21, and in leap years a day earlier - on June 20. And since 2018 is not a leap year, this year the longest day falls on the 21st of this month.

The name solstice day arose because people who observe the Sun on this day see a picture of the luminary frozen on the horizon. Another name for the Solstice is Solstice; it is also customary to celebrate this day associated with these phenomena. folk holiday and they have their own traditions.

The history of the summer solstice

The sun has always played in people's lives important role. This explains the fact that the solstice began to be celebrated long before our era. According to scientists, at the dawn of humanity. True, at what exact moment of the “dawn of humanity” historians still have not figured out.

Meanwhile, it is known that the summer solstice holiday was revered in the cultures of many nations. Moreover, he was especially loved by the inhabitants of the north, who, after a long winter, had more reasons to enjoy the sun, summer and warmth than others.

The Slavs celebrated the summer solstice main holiday summer - Kupala (however, after the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, it ceased to coincide with the longest day of the year).

In general, during the times of the pagans, the summer solstice holiday was at the peak of its popularity. The rituals adopted on this day were so important that few people dared to ignore them: it was believed that these rituals determine what a person’s life will be like throughout next year(in particular, happiness, health, and luck depended on them).

But after the advent of Christianity pagan traditions were no longer held in high esteem. The Church tried to ban them all possible ways, but she never managed to make people forget about the summer solstice. This day is still celebrated in many countries around the world. And in Finland, the longest day of the year (there they call it Juhannus) is even an official public holiday.

Signs for the Summer Solstice

On summer holiday there are many signs. Here are some of them.

If there is a lot of dew in the morning, the harvest promises to be abundant. By the way, dew was collected in a vessel because they believed in its rejuvenating and healing properties.

Bad weather means crop failure.

If the sky is starry on the night of the solstice, an abundance of mushrooms is expected in early autumn.

Those who meet the dawn in nature are guaranteed health and strength for the whole year.

If a guy cheats on a girl on this day, they will soon get married.

Those born on June 21 are carriers of the “evil eye” and can jinx anyone. Now, however, it is believed that these children were lucky - nature endowed them with strong energy and magical abilities.

If you make a wish on this day, it will certainly come true.

What to do on the summer solstice

To extract maximum benefit this day, you must:

From June 20 to June 23 the strongest energy days. If you are engaged in self-development, use this time for cleansing and the practices that you do. If you do everything right, the results will be good.

On the night of June 20-21, you need to swim in the pond. At this time, water has healing properties.

Start the morning of June 21 with a greeting to the Sun. Very good greeting There will be yoga gymnastics Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations). It is advisable to spend this entire day in Nature.

Make yourself some sun tea. Brew the tea you like and put it out in the sun. Drink it with honey.

In the morning, fill up with water. On this day, water is considered healing.

On this day, wear clothes and jewelry with yellow color.

Take time to understand and cleanse your emotional sphere. We look into all corners of our consciousness and cleanse it of all negative things. In return, we are filled with love and joy.

Forgive all your offenders, mentally thank them for the lessons they taught you.

Get as much rest as possible on this day.

If you can, find a group of people who celebrate on this day. At the festival, in round dances and through rituals, you will receive purification.

However, listen to your intuition. Not all holiday groups will be useful for you.

Do something creative on this day: sing, embroider, express yourself.

Have fun with friends or like-minded people in Nature.

On this day, it is customary to cleanse the body (swimming in a pond), cleanse the soul (jump over a fire) and cleanse the spirit (walk barefoot on hot coals).

The summer solstice is considered the longest day of the entire year. It's hard to argue with this, because it lasts 17.2 hours. Every year he comes to certain time– June 21 in non-leap years and June 20 in leap years. And in 2018 we will not miss this wonderful event - on Thursday at 13:07 Moscow time, June 21.

When we first hear what kind of day this is, the question arises in our heads - why was it called the solstice? Let's figure this out together.

Judging from the point of view ordinary person observing the day of the summer solstice, it seems to him that the Sun does not seem to move throughout the day and does not leave the zenith.

There is an astronomical explanation for this. The solstice marks the beginning of summer, but not the kind we are used to according to the calendar, but the astronomical summer. And the beginning is precisely for the Northern Hemisphere.

When the tilt of the axis along which the Earth says goodbye becomes minimal in the direction of the Sun - 23.4 degrees - then the summer solstice occurs. Then our Earth, and we together with it, “look” at our warm star with almost our entire Northern Hemisphere.

The summer solstice has long been associated with magic, and many different beliefs are associated with this day.

The number and exact time of the summer solstices from 2018 to 2025

If you are wondering when this great event takes place, we suggest you study the table. We have compiled it especially for you for the next 7 years.

Year	Day	Time
2018	21st of June	13:07
2019	21st of June	18:54
2020	21st of June	00:44
2021	21st of June	06:32
2022	21st of June	12:13
2023	21st of June	17:57
2024	June 20	23:50

Signs June 21

As with many other holidays and events, there are many beliefs for this holiday. Let's talk about the most popular:

• If the weather outside is bad, you need to prepare for a crop failure.
• But a lot of dew in the morning speaks of a rich harvest. This dew was also collected and used as a rejuvenating agent.
• On this day you can make wishes and they will certainly come true.
• Returning to the harvest - if there are many stars in the sky the night before, then at the beginning of September you can expect a lot of mushrooms.
• Life hack for young people - if you fool a girl on this day, you will soon get married.
• Spend the dawn among nature, you will be strong and all healthy year (astronomical, of course).
• Those born on June 21 are considered lucky, as nature has given them magical abilities and powerful energy.

Solstice rituals

Making wishes

As we already mentioned in the signs, on the day of the solstice you can make a wish and it will definitely come true. So don't miss this incredible opportunity, because the next attempt is only a year away. But it’s not enough to just make wishes, you need a certain ritual:

1. Collect flowers in the field.
2. Start weaving a wreath and at this time think strongly about your desire, experience that feeling of satisfaction and joy, as if everything has already happened.
3. After you finish weaving, you need to put the wreath on your head and wear it.

It is not necessary to wear it for a long time, or you may not wear it at all, but this item can increase the power of the ritual. It will also significantly enhance the effect of the “sacrifice” ritual - just light a fire and throw any of your things there (no need for expensive ones, the main thing is not trash). When you quit, say out loud: “Paid.” This way your wish will be paid for.

Energy recharge from the Sun

The sun is high and long for most of the day, its energy is very powerful. So don’t forget to recharge yourself from it next year. To do this you need:

If you have not encountered working with energies before, then you may not feel anything. In this case, imagine the warmth that spreads from your feet to the top of your head.

Unity with nature

On the day of the summer solstice, an invisible door is opened between people and the magical world. Plants can talk to people.

1. To get an answer to your question or a hint from a plant, daylight hours for a day, go to nature - where you enjoy being.
2. Talk inside yourself about the questions that concern you.
3. Listen to the sounds around you and look carefully at what is happening around you: how animals and birds, plants, nature behave.
4. Touch the grass with your hand, hug the tree, feel their surface and inner strength, inhale their scent.
5. Create harmony between your inner voice and by the voice of nature the answer will come to you.

Be sure to thank nature for this conversation.

Rejuvenation with dew

As we also indicated above, dew collected on the morning of the summer solstice has a rejuvenating effect. And there is also a ritual for collecting it.

1. Prepare about 1.5 meters of gauze in advance, more if possible.
2. Early at dawn, go to a field or other place where grass grows.
3. Carefully place the cheesecloth over the plants.
4. You can enjoy nature for half an hour while the gauze absorbs dew, after which you can take it home.
5. For youthful and beautiful skin, make lotions and compresses from this gauze, after rolling it several times.
6. Mentally imagine that your skin is smoothing out and all imperfections are disappearing.

After the procedure, you do not need to touch the place where the compresses were made for 3 hours.

Celebration of the summer solstice among different nations

Slavs

We call this holiday (John the Baptist). But it was celebrated even before Christianity came to Rus', so the day of the summer solstice has more ancient roots.

On this day, the Slavs washed themselves in ponds, and those who lived in colder regions did it in a bathhouse.

The eve of the holiday is especially important. The youth jumped over the fire and exchanged wreaths. Even at sunset, fires were set up, and a pole with a barrel of resin was installed. Sometimes they were set on fire and rolled down the mountain, which meant solstice.

The most popular sign or ritual, call it whatever you like, when looking for a fern flower. There is a belief that whoever finds it will be able to talk to animals and find treasures, as well as become invisible to others.

After we switched to the Gregorian calendar, the dates shifted and Ivan Kupala Day began to be celebrated on July 7th.

Baltic states

The holiday is celebrated everywhere on June 23 and 24. But in different countries it is called in its own way: in Latvia - Ligo or Jan's Day, in Lithuania - Jonines, in Estonia - Jan's Day.

These 2 days are officially holidays here, and people go away and celebrate Ligo in nature. Fortunately, the end of July almost always pleases with the pleasant greenery of the surrounding nature and warm weather.

At the holiday, like the Slavs, bonfires and songs and dances are also common. The songs are special - with the chorus “Ligo, ligo.”

Wreaths are made from flowers collected from the field and plucked oak branches. According to tradition, a wreath of flowers is given to girls, and an oak wreath is given to men.

On Ligo they make special drinks and delicacies: beer brewed especially for this holiday and cheese with cumin.

Xiazhi (country China)

In China, the holiday is not celebrated, but at this time the Xiazhi season begins: Yang energy in the world reaches its peak, and the level of Yin energy is minimal.

During this period, it is easiest to maintain clarity of mind, a good mood lasts for a long time, and a person gets up easily in the morning.

Juhannus (country Finland)

Celebrated June 20–26, which is Saturday. Along with the solstice, a second holiday is celebrated - Finnish Flag Day. Finns are given a day off the day before the holiday.

Traditions are similar to the Slavs and Balts - Finns go out into nature, swim and light fires.

Midsommar (country Sweden)

Citizens also go to the countryside for the weekend. Celebrate with large companies - relatives or groups of young people.

They also dance and sing songs, and decorate the pole in the center of the celebration with a wreath of herbs and flowers.

Preferred on the table natural products: herring, young boiled potatoes, grilled meat. For dessert they prefer strawberries and cream. Like the Balts, Swedes drink beer.

Celtic culture

In this culture, the solstice holiday is usually called Lita. It is still celebrated in a number of countries in the European part of the continent. It is at this moment that dreams and fantasies are mixed, and various forest mythical creatures walk on the ground next to people. On this holiday it is customary to breathe full breasts, love life and yourself and be happy.

The Celts burn an effigy on Lita, like we do on Maslenitsa. But there is a difference - it burns with the first rays of the sun. And in the forests they collect herbs.

In many countries of the Northern Hemisphere they believe and pay tribute ancient holiday, which both has magical powers and is well described by astronomy. And although each nation has its own name and traditions regarding this day, we celebrate the same event.

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