So now we come to the longest day of the year, celebrated in the medieval era (anywhere from June 21 to 25) as Midsummer and the nativity of St. John the Baptist, as well as a bonfire and quarter day. It’s a perfect example of the assimilation of pagan and Christian traditions, and the triumph of nature over both. We know that everything is blooming now and that the days are long, and people in the past did too. This is a day that is much more important in Scandinavian cultures than those of the rest of Europe or here in America; its characterization and secularization as the mere “longest day” definitely robbed it of some of its magic. The best thing to do is just enjoy the day—all of it.
Different perspectives on the longest day and the onset of Summer:
“Longest Day set off westward in beautiful crimson & gold”, from Walter Crane‘s Masque of Days (1901); “Summer” hand-colored mezzotint published by John Fairburn, 1796.
Global views of Summer in 18th-century astronomical charts from the Wellcome Library, London–and you can buy your own here.
Morning, midday & evening in Salem, Summer Solstice eve:
