Midsummer's Day

Midsummer's Day occurs near the Summer solstice, or what we think of as the beginning of Summer. In farming, it marks the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvesting.

Today, Midsummer Eve, was traditionally sacred to lovers. On this evening you could pick seven different wildflowers and then walk home silently. Place the flowers under your pillow and dream of your future husband or wife. Oh, one more thing; you had to walk home backwards.

In the Celtic calendar, Midsummer Day was a “Quarter Day,” one of the days that marked the four major divisions of the year. Makes fascinating reading here; Quarter Days.

Traditionally, Midsummer's Day was the earliest day deemed safe for swimming, because of its connection with St. John the Baptist, who baptised Jesus in the River Jordan. Presumably the old swimming hole will have warmed up sufficiently by now too!

Factoids courtesy of the Old Farmer's Alamanac