Midsummer Day

Midsummer's Day Quick Facts - GB

Hashtags	#SummerSolstice, #Hootchin
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2020 Date	24 June 2020
2021 Date	24 June 2021

2020 Holidays & Dates

Midsummer's Day in 2020

Wednesday, 24 Jun

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Midsummer's Day History

Midsummer Day represents the high point of summer and the longest day of the year. In many parts of the Scandinavian and Nordic countries, the sun does not set for days or weeks. The celebrations of Midsummer can be traced back to ancient times and the religious and spiritual elements of the day are often associated with fertility and love. The festivities take place in the countryside, meaning the city streets are deserted for a brief period of time.

Midsummer is celebrated all over northern Europe, the origins are pre-Christian. It is also a celebration of St John, a Christian feast day, this is incorporated into modern times when people eat and drink a lot with friends or family. Midsummer in many countries such as Latvia falls on June 24 in 2016.

Top Tweets for Midsummer's Day -

Pooh and Piglet walked home thoughtfully together in the golden evening, and for a long time they were silent... “When you wake up in the morning what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting TODAY?” ~A.A.Milne #SummerSolstice https://t.co/SfWVgrV2HE
— A.A.Milne (@A_AMilne) June 21, 2019

Vivien Leigh as Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Old Vic, 1937 #Midsummer #SummerSolstice https://t.co/IJ0rJmaQrq
— Anne Louise Avery (@AnneLouiseAvery) June 21, 2019

Sunrise at Stonehenge on #SummerSolstice 🌅😍🌅😍 https://t.co/HiLPqrOCrT
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) June 21, 2019

Midsummer's Day Facts & Quotes

Näcken is the Evil Spirit of the Water in Swedish folklore whom people must watch out for if they’re taking a swim during Midsummer.
Branches from birch trees are placed around the front door to the home, welcoming guests.
In Latvia, couples hold hands and jump over a bonfire to seal their bind with the magical force.
Midsummer is the time of the summer solstice, in the northern hemisphere this festival varies between June 21 and 24 depending on which specific geographical locale
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet, are of imagination all compact. ― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Midsummer's Day Top Events and Things to Do

Visit the vast countryside and enjoy the natural beauty of the north. Midsummer is a peak time for the Nordic nations to get sunlight, they have days that eclipse nights. It is also one of the warmest times a year and allows access to many remote places that aren't accessible during the long snowy winter months.
Eat, drink and be merry. Try some typical dishes for Midsummer, have you tried Leipäjuusto (bread cheese), pickled herring, beer, schnapps, Mustikkapiirakka (blueberry pie), or Pyttipannu (bubble and squeak)?
Get married! Like Whitsun Midsummer is a very popular time of year for weddings. Despite not being very religious, the Swedish love a big wedding.
Pick seven different types of flower. If you're a woman, Midsummer is said to be a time when future husbands are revealed if you place flowers under your pillow.
Read some magical literature to celebrate pagan history. Our favourites: Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald and Sag Harbour by Colson Whitehead.