Daylight seems to never fade over the blooming fields as the sun’s warmth beats down. It’s the start of summer. The summer solstice, the longest day of the year. A day that has been marked and celebrated throughout time. Midsummer.
Midsummer is a celebration of both folklore and Christianity in Norway and across Scandinavia. In Norway, you’ll hear the names Midtsommer and Sankthans interchangeably. The older tradition of celebrating the summer solstice then blended into a newer tradition of Sankthans, which commemorates the birth of John the Baptist. While the name Sankthans still reflects the Christian view of the day (St Hans), it is the non-Christian elements, such as the midsummer bonfire, which has held fast over the years. And while the day is celebrated less so than that of Norway’s neighbor, Sweden, it is still viewed as the arrival of summer. (more…)
Today is the longest day of the year for those living north of the equator. The summer solstice. A day when the sun seems to stand still; when the earth is actually farthest away from the sun. It arrives just days prior to the celebration of Sankthans in Norway, or Midsummer. And this year, there will also be a full moon, making it quite a special occurrence.
