Preparing for Midsummer

Midsummer takes place at the Summer Solstice (around 21st June) and serves as the highpoint of the year.  Midsummer is the longest day of the year and the shortest night - a time to celebrate life and love before the nights begin to grow in length once more. It is a powerful night to perform magic to win love and is a night where many bonfires should be lit. Sometimes true folk who wish for a blessing leap over these fires. Modern heathens tend to dedicate their Midsummer festivals to Tyr (as God of the Irminsul), Balder the Shining God and Sunna the Sun. 

Some celebrate Midsummer by remaining awake all night to mark the shortest night of the year, then at sunrise perform a "Greeting of Sunna" and a blot to her. Another midsummer custom is the rolling of a flaming wagon wheel down a hill to mark the turning of the wheel of the year. If fire would otherwise be a hazard, one could parade a wheel covered with candles for similar effect. It is also a time for general merriment and in the Scandinavian countries many of what we know as the traditional May Day rituals such as May Poles and Morris Dances were celebrated at Midsummer.

We mark this day as sacred to the Goddess Sunna, who is literally the sun.  We will spend the day preparing along with playing period games, and hold period competitions. Followed by our AlThing, blot, sumbel, feasting and drinking.