In many parts of the world the day of the summer solstice (21 June in the Northern Hemisphere) is special. Besides being the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest in the Southern, this is also the day which marks the link between people, the Earth, and the Sun, and is celebrated with dances, bonfire, making wreaths, gathering healing plants and herbs, performing magic and mystical rituals…

Create a special celebration for the Summer Solstice this year, whether it be a traditional ritual or one you made up yourself.

Here are several unusual and fun summer solstice ideas:

Escape the city to greet the sun

Use every occasion to fill your smog-clogged lungs with fresh air. Choose a nature spot with a spectacular sunrise view to greet the first rays of the sun. Breathe in the smell of wild flowers, feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, hear the birds’ songs. This is more practicing mindfulness than a ritual but still counts.

Sunrise © Nishan Joomun

Gather medicinal plants for their healing powers like a Bulgarian

In many places, the night of St. John (June 24) is considered a magical one when the medicinal plants double their power. Women wake up before the rooster crows to gather plants and hang them over the doorstep of their home to keep witches away (in case you have had any problematic witches in your life recently, now you know the remedy!). In Bulgaria, for example, the plants have to be 77. Additionally, a small flower bunch is left in a container of water to spend the night under the stars. This bouquet is kept throughout the year as a personal talisman.

Summer solstice medicinal plants © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Celebrate New Year like the Mapuche people in Chile

At these latitudes, the June solstice marks the shortest day of the year called We Tripantu. Eating, drinking, telling traditional stories and playing Mapuche folklore instruments is part of the party. Well, it sounds like a normal party but you can also counter any distrust pointing out that if someone doesn’t respect the Mapuche traditions, this is none of your business.

Four Mapuche kids to distract you from the drinking and eating topic.

Join thousands of sun worshippers at Stonehenge

Stonehenge is one of the places where the largest number of sun worshippers gather from all over the world. The monument was designed for summer solstice celebrations more than 1,000 years ago, plus you can join the event for free on the morning of June 21.

Summer Solstice at Stonehenge

Make flower wreaths like a Swedish

The Swedish express their summer joy by dancing around a high stake, adorned with flowers. They make wreaths, which the girls wear on their heads.

Burn a huge scarecrow like a Danish

In the whole of Scandinavia there is a tradition of making a huge bonfire during the night of the summer solstice. The Danish go to extremes as they burn up scarecrows.

Danish MIdsommer fire

Complete 108 sun salutations like the yogis

Enrich your yoga practice with a ritual observed in many places around the globe – completing 108 (1+8=9, a sacred number) sun salutations (surya namaskar) in a row.

Complete 108 salutations

Make up your own sun ritual

Maybe you feel like indulging in sun salutations while you burn your flower wreath in a New-Year bonfire near Stonehenge? It doesn’t really matter what you are doing as long as you put all your passion in it. If you have a fun summer solstice tradition, feel free to share it in the comment.

One more idea: Get dressed and watch the sunrise on the day of the Winter Solstice (between 21 and 23 December in the northern hemisphere) or right now if you are in the Southern Hemisphere.

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1. Go to a festival

 It’s the beginning of the summer and you just wanna be outside, spending time with friends and enjoying the finer things in life. That’s exactly what summer festivals are all about. There are many types of festival to choose from – whether it be music, movies, arts or food, there’s nothing better than ignoring the real world for a while and just sinking into the relaxing atmosphere of a festival. Just imagine; you can immerse yourself in a place filled only with things you’re passionate about and people who share your passions.

Step up your game: go to a bizarre festival – it’s a big world and crazy festivals are lurking around every corner.

• An idea: San Vino Wine Fight Festival in Haro, La Rioja, Spain – to be held this year between 27 and 30 June. People of all ages (including the mayor of the town) gather dressed in white T-shirts, bringing jugs, bottles and water pistols. They fill these containers with red wine and then spray that wine over each other… ‘cuz, you know, why drink wine from a fine glass when you can use it to paint your friend (or a complete stranger)?

2. Find your own secret place

If I tell you about individual places here, they won’t be secret and they won’t be yours. I can, however, give you tips on how to find a secret place all for yourself:

• You don’t have to be Columbus to discover a place no one knows about. Sometimes great spots can be found just a couple of steps away from more popular ones, and yet barely anyone knows about them – those can become your magical, private hideouts.
• Once you’ve discovered a secret spot you’ve got to personalize it to make it your own, according to your own interests and needs. If you are a sportsperson, you might look for the perfect spot to practice your favorite sport. If you need some alone time just take a hammock and a book and spend the afternoon there. You can also use it as a place for friends or family meet-ups – just make them swear not to tell anyone else about your secret spot!

Step up your game: discover your hidden place on your own and then, on a special occasion, ‘kidnap’ a friend, take them there and throw a mini party for them.

3. Celebrate the summer solstice.

This is your chance to expose yourself to as much daylight as possible during the day when we get the most of it. A lot of festivals and events worldwide revolve around the longest day of the year, which has been celebrated since ancient times by people of almost every nationality.

Step up your game: be in the right place at the right time. On the morning of the summer solstice, if you stand in the center of Stonehenge facing north-east, you can see the Heel Stone – it is outside the circle and marks the point where the sun rises, creating a magnificent spectacle as it appears.

4. Get into a story.

Go to a place that can tell you a story. There are many options here – a place with an interesting legend, the scene of a famous film or the setting that inspired your favorite book. You could even follow the steps of your favorite artists or celebrities – visit their homes or their favorite places.

Step up your game:

• Create your own fictional story about the place you’re visiting.
• Make a short film about your trip.
• Draw a caricature of something interesting that happened on the road.

… and share it with your friends, or share it with us.

See also: How to Pack Your Ultimate Weekend Travel Kit

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