Midsummer's Eve

I’m not such a big fan of parties, holidays and festivals but I do love Midsummer’s Eve. In Finland it is celebrated around summer solstice and even though the Catholic church associated it with John the Baptist at the beginning of the 5th century the traditions originating from Finnish pagan mythology and folklore are much stronger. Midsummer (or juhannus, in Finnish) isn’t really concidered a Christian festivity at all. Personally I find the folklore­ related feast very fascinating since it includes all kinds of ancient beliefs and spells. I’ve listed some of my favorite traditions that in my opinion are wonderful ways to honour Finland’s nightless and magical summer (which is quite cold and rainy right now but never mind that).

(It's not a bonfire, just a campfire. Just for clarity's sake.)

1)    Midsummer bonfire Bonfires are lit all around Finland throughout Midsummer night. Originally their purpose was to repel malicious spirits but they’ve also been associated with heliotheism. Fire can be set on shores or beaches but the most beautiful ones are floating on water: a ferry laden with wood can be set on fire and then launched. Flaming beacons in the middle of a quiet, dim lake slowly getting veiled by nightly mist look like a myth made real.

2)    Midsummer magic Yes, there are still quite a lot of people in Finland who practice a little magic every Midsummer’s Eve ­– including me. To be honest the charms are just for fun and most of them are performed in order to avail romantic intentions. To me the purpose of the charms isn’t the very point; I try to keep the traditions alive for my part and the idea of wandering in the lovely smelling forests and meadows collecting flowers the same way people used to do centuries ago is very enchanting. On the other hand I think charms are after all quite useless at Midsummer’s Eve, the night that already is full of magic by its very nature. Not that I’d actually believe in magic, I concider myself rather rational (at least 364 days a year).

3)    Stories As I’ve mentioned earlier I’m deeply in love with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Midsummer seems to be an endless source for stories about fairies and curious events ­– no wonder why. When it comes to Finnish literature my absolute favourite is Tove Jansson’s Moominsummer Madness (The Swedish and Finnish names are so much better though).

Those are a few of my favourite things about the night at hand. I was planning to not to complain about no longer having a summer house but I think I’ll do it anyway. I’d like to sit on the porch and stare over the darkening lake; I’d like to go for a late night swim when it’s so quiet you can hear the world breathing; I’d like to read or perhaps write something in a drifting boat. However, it doesn’t make any sense to ponder that now – the summer house burned down after being hit by a lightning and there is no way to remedy that.

I bet it was quite a bonfire.