6 Summer Solstice Ideas to Celebrate in Style
The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year, which means more hours to take care of important tasks or enjoy the great outdoors with loved ones. In some cultures, the summer solstice is the day to celebrate life, fertility, renewal, and a good harvest. When you hear “summer solstice,” it may conjure images of women dancing around with flower crowns donning their heads. Scientifically, the solstice season brings us to the peak of the solar year, where the sun is at the height of its power.
Whether you decide to make June 21, 2022, a day of rest or work, let’s talk about summer solstice traditions around the world and how you can incorporate them to create your own habits and practices.
Why Is the Summer Solstice So Important to Various Cultures?
The summer solstice has a symbolic meaning for almost all cultures, and it’s been celebrated in various ways over the centuries. The ancient Chinese believed it was a time to honor the earth. Ancient Grecians welcomed the new year during the solstice. Indigenous tribes gathered for ceremonial sun dances and rituals.
Today, the summer solstice marks an extended vacation season for some people in the northern hemisphere and the start of outdoor get-togethers and barbeques. Additionally, scientists have long theorized a link between happiness and sunlight. So, it makes sense that most people plan trips and throw huge gatherings with loved ones on the longest day of the year.
6 Ways to Celebrate Summer Solstice with Your Family
If you don’t have a summer solstice tradition, allow our team at Merry Maids® to help you come up with some celebration ideas.
1. Bonfire with Friends
Various Slavic, Germanic, and Celtic communities welcomed the solstice with a bonfire and a massive feast. There’s no reason why you can’t continue that ancient tradition! After all, virtually nothing screams summertime like good friends sitting around a bonfire enjoying libations and delicious food. So, gather your closest loved ones and light a bonfire to commemorate the year’s longest day. And don’t forget a great summer music playlist to set the right tone.
2. Strawberry Picking
According to the Sustainable Food Center, strawberries symbolize purity, fertility, and abundance—all the things you should be celebrating during the summer solstice. The ancient Romans used to leave strawberries at the temple of the goddess Venus as an offering. At the same time, other cultures used the delicious fruit to combat melancholy and depression.
We think it’s perfectly appropriate to celebrate the beautiful summer weather with family by visiting a strawberry picking farm near you.
3. Stargazing
Plato once said, “Astronomy compels the soul to look upward and leads us from this world to another.” Considering the vastness of the universe is a sure-fire way to put things into perspective. Kick off this solstice season with some romantic stargazing in some of the best places in the U.S.
4. Start a Garden
What better way to celebrate a good harvest during the summer solstice than to start a micro garden? Bringing new plant life into your home will help you rejoice in summer and incorporate some healthier habits for the entire family.
Start a window box with easy-to-grow herbs if you don’t consider yourself a gardener or someone with a green thumb. Another alternative is to purchase a plant to transplant outside later.
5. Live Stream a Summer Solstice Festival
Venues worldwide are hosting live stream events for summer solstice, including Stonehenge and Time Square. You can see how other people plan to celebrate the day and join in!
The United Nations’ International Day of Yoga happens to fall on the longest day of the year (which maybe wasn’t a coincidence). International yoga instructors are communing in New York City to offer yoga classes from sunup until sundown.
Customarily, thousands would trek from all over the world to get a glimpse of Stonehenge and partake in summer solstice celebrations. However, in 2020, the in-person celebration at Stonehenge was canceled for safety reasons. Organizers decided that live streaming the event was the way to keep spirits high and mitigate coronavirus spread. Thus, giving us what has become a popular experience millions tune in to watch.
6. Morning Meditation
Internal and external abundance are aspects many traditions revere during the summer solstice. You can take that belief and turn it into a reason to start the day by engaging in self-care and managing stress. Grab a friend or two and do a morning meditation to center yourself and appreciate all the great things that have happened to you this year, or manifest positive vibes for the rest of the year.
Celebrate Summer with a Clean Home
We bet you’re ready to celebrate summer and enjoy the long hot days lounging by the pool or taking a last-minute weekend excursion. You shouldn’t have to be cooped up in the house cleaning and organizing. Leave those tasks to us! Merry Maids is here to help you start the season of abundance with comprehensive cleaning services.
Find your local professionals today or call (888) 490-4227 for assistance.
