. Litha, the summer solstice, or midsummer is a pagan holiday observed between June 19-22nd. It is the day when the sun is at its greatest height which therefore leads to it being the longest day of the year. From this point on, the sun will begin its descent as well as the nights will gradually start to draw in.

It is also know as a cross quarter day, making it a minor holiday for pagans, Wiccans and witches and can be found between its neighbouring fetes of Beltane (May Day) and Lughnassadh. But with such possibility for glorious weather as well as a balmy, warm evening who is able to resist the charms of a Litha party!

Traditionally, Litha was the season to harvest your crops as they were believed to be particularly blessed with magical qualities and powers in the actual evening, or on midsummer bonfire night's eve. However, to maintain the ability of your output and as an offering to the Gods and Goddesses it absolutely was considered necessary to leave the roots or stems of the plant intact.

At Litha, also being a fire festival, it was believed you could pull prosperity by jumping over a bonfire (much like Beltane celebrations) which were lit to ward off the evil spirits that were thought to roam freely on this evening. In reality the veil between the natural and supernatural worlds were considered to be at their thinnest and so for extra protection, torches were carried after dark and at the end of the celebrations.

Such wicked associations were unfortunately passed on to witches at this time also, as it became the time of year if they were to be seen on their way to meetings with several other evil beings!

But due to the heady and beguiling draw of the hot nights, Litha is of course a-time for fertility rites. That is influenced by the festival's role in the cycle of the God and Goddess. At this time the Goddess is just with kid, having united and become married to the Sun God at Beltane. So Litha, along with Beltane, became an extremely popular event for weddings (known as hand fasting) and for celebrating new life.

Some of us have grown up hearing the word “Midsummer” and may have wondered what it meant. Certain calendar's mark “Midsummer's Eve” as some time in mid June, and of course there's the Shakespearean play bearing its name, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Midsummer is a celebration that has historical roots, and is continued today largely by people who practice pagan and wiccan spiritual paths. How do these modern pagans celebrate and comprehend the camping on midsummer holiday?

At Midsummer, we find ourselves on the stage in the Wheel of the Year when the Sun is at its zenith, the summer solstice. It is the longest day of the full year. Since the summer season traditionally began on Beltane (May 1 in the Northern Hemisphere), this holiday is normally called Midsummer. It is also known as Litha.

In the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice falls around June 19 22, while it's between December 2023 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Midsummer is a period when much focus is on the sun, of course. Many ancient temples and holy places, including Stonehenge, are organized in such a way as to align with the place of the sun at summer solstice.

Like Yule, its opposite counterpoint on the Wheel of the Year, Midsummer conjures up themes of the representational Oak King, representing the light half of the full year, battling the Holly King, who represents the dark half of the year, when light is waning. Although the Oak King is at his height, after this day the Holly King will start to gain the upper hand. For the next six months, light will fall Visit Website .