About
Litha is the modern pagan name for the summer solstice, one of the eight sabbats of the Wheel of the Year, a twentieth-century framework that not every tradition uses. The name comes from Bede, who records Līþa as the Anglo-Saxon name for the months around midsummer, though he says nothing about a festival. Midsummer fires, herb gathering and staying up for the sunrise are long-standing European folk customs.
Customs
- Watching the sunrise or sunset on the longest day
- Lighting bonfires and candles
- Gathering herbs such as St John's wort, elderflower and yarrow
- Making flower crowns
- Staying up through the short night
Food
- Elderflower cordial
- Strawberries
- Fresh salads and herbs
- Honey cakes
- Recipe: Midsummer elderflower cordial 20 minutes, plus 24 hours steeping
A simple ritual
- Rise early or stay up to watch the sun at its height of the year.
- Gather a few summer flowers or herbs and place them in water.
- Light a candle safely and thank the sun for its warmth and growth.
- Name something you have achieved since the spring.
- Put out the candle and share a cool drink outdoors.
Never leave candles or fires unattended, and keep them away from pets and children.