Midsummer magic in YOUR country?

[Eldritch]

(If this is in the wrong section, please feel free to move it)

Midsummer night magic

Many magical and supernatural aspects have traditionally been linked to midsummer night, the shortest night of the year, giving cause to various religious and superstitious beliefs.

Although being a feast of light, new life and nature in its prime, midsummer is also the turning point at which the days begin to shorten again, and darkness will slowly start increasing. In the old times, this raised fear and uncertainty about the future.

Strange things were known to happen on midsummer night, when evil spirits and witches were thought to be roaming around. By performing magical rites people believed they could secure a better future for themselves, to ensure a good fortune for the household, an abundant crop and protect the cattle from illnesses. Many of these rites were connected with fortune, happiness, love, marriage and relationships or predicting of the future.

Various herbs and medicinal plants picked on midsummer night, before the morning dew had fallen, were thought to be at the peak of their power. Also the midsummer night dew was believed to have healing powers. Cattle could be protected by hanging mountain ash branches from the ceiling of the stall and their illnesses cured by feeding the animals with hay that had been mown on Midsummer Eve.

Dreams could be made come true by sleeping on midsummer night with nine different flowers placed under the pillow. According to some beliefs, the flowers had to be picked in the lands of three different farmsteads, without uttering a word.

One could see in the future by sitting on the rooftop of a house that had been thrice moved from its premises, or by sitting under an old apple tree on midsummer night. One could even see the devil himself if one would strip oneself naked and run thrice around a rye field.

On midsummer night, one could catch a treasure by keeping an eye on will-o'-the-wisps, the phosphorescent lights that can sometimes be seen flickering over marshlands. The light would reveal a spot on which a treasure has been buried.

There are various magical tasks and tricks for young girls (and boys) to perform on Midsummer Eve in order to know whether they would soon be married or to get a glimpse of their future spouse:

• A girl picks seven or nine different species of wild flowers and places them under her pillow for the night. While sleeping, the face or the name of her future husband will be revealed for her in a dream.
  
• If a girl picks the nine flowers in nine different meadows, she will meet her future husband on Midsummer Eve.
  
• A girl eats salty food, usually salted fish, before going to bed. In her sleep she gets thirsty, and he who brings her water in her dream will be her future husband.
  
• If a girl rolls around naked on a dewy field, she will surely meet her fiancé during the passing year.
  
• If a girl goes to stand at crossroads on midsummer night, she will meet her future husband.
  
• A girl goes up to a well to listen on midsummer night. If she hears a clinking of keys, it means she is to become a mistress of a house. If she hears a crying of a baby, it means she is to have a child.
  
• If a girl goes up to a well or a spring naked on midsummer night, she will see the face of her future husband briefly reflected in the water.
  
• A girl makes a wreath of fresh flowers and drops it in a flowing stream. If the current carries the wreath away, it means wedding for the girl, but if the wreath is caught somewhere along the way, it means death for her.

And the list goes on...

[SwordoftheVistula]

Was at a ceremony very similar to this for midsummer here, in a small mountain town. First time ever at one of these, since I recently moved to the rural southern US, whereas I had previously lived in the northeast, mainly large urban areas. Seemed to be normal for this town, all the neighborhood kids came out to join in.

Some political speeches dealing with the Constitution, growing gap between rich and poor, and negative results of unrestricted global trade opened up the night, then when it got dark a letter was lit with the initial of the landowner (who is hospitalized), then the cross was lit and we all walked around it 3 times with torches. Some other ceremonial parts, reading bible verses, and linking arms, before all approaching the cross and throwing the torches in to join into one flame.

[Octothorpe]

Very few heathens out my way, so I did a solitary blot for Sunna.