Happy Summer Solstice...

When the sun came up at 5:14am this morning...it became the Summer Solstice of 2006 and as far as I'm concerned...a day that is highly overlooked and under rated by the those living in North America. June 21st (TODAY!) is the day in which the sun's rays strike one of the two tropical latitude lines, marking the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere and simultaneously heralds the beginning of winter in the southern hemisphere.

Traditionally, we would get between 15-20 hours of sunlight today depending on where you are located in the world, with the exception of those residing north of the Artic Circle, who will get 24 hours of daylight and those south of the Antartic Circle who will have 24 hours of darkness (ouch! That's what you get for living so far away from a Starbucks!!!).

"Solstice" is derived from two Latin words: "sol" meaning sun, and "sistere," to cause to stand still. This is because, as the summer solstice approaches, the noonday sun rises higher and higher in the sky on each successive day. On the day of the solstice, it rises an imperceptible amount, compared to the day before. In this sense, it "stands still."

The Summer Solstice has been celebrated worldwide for centuries and being the longest day of the year, I think that everyone should take advantage of such a special day! Pagans celebrated the Solstice with bonfires in hopes of generating sympathetic magic: giving a boost to the sun's energy so that it would remain potent throughout the rest of the growing season and guarantee a plentiful harvest. In Sweden, a Midsummer tree is set up and decorated in each town. The villagers dance around it and women and girls would customarily bathe in the local river because it's a magical ritual, intended to bring rain for the crops. In ancient times, people used to celebrate the solstice by sacrificing their pets but, I suggest opting for a more laid back means of taking in the occasion!!!

When I was a little girl we used to celebrate the summer solstice by staying up way past my bed time to enjoy the added hours of sunlight but now that I'm a big girl...the novelty of staying up past 8 o'clock just doesn't have the same thrilling effect as it once did! However, I would suggest maybe getting up at dawn and having your eggs sunny side up or making a quick visit to Stonehedge if you happen to be in the neighborhood!!! Or how about taking the day off work to lounge in the sun (but don't forget your sunscreen!)?!?!?

Whatever you choose to do...you have until 8:54pm tonight to enjoy it! So, Happy Sunshine!

photo credit: London Heritage