Summer Solstice

[HVAC]

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice has a history of
stirring libidos, and it's no wonder. The longest day of the year tends
to kick off the start of the summer season and with it, the harvest. So
it should come as no surprise that the solstice is linked to fertility
-- both of the vegetal and human variety.

"A lot of children are born nine months after Midsummer in Sweden," says
Jan-Öjvind Swahn, a Swedish ethnologist and the author of several books
on the subject.

Midsummer is the Scandinavian holiday celebrating the summer solstice,
which this year falls on June 21. Swedish traditions include dancing
around a Maypole -- a symbol which some view as phallic -- and feasting
on herring and copious amounts of vodka.

"Drinking is the most typical Midsummer tradition. There are historical
pictures of people drinking to the point where they can't go on
anymore," says Swahn. While the libations have a hand in the subsequent
baby boom, Swahn points out that even without the booze, Midsummer is a
time rich in romantic ritual.

"There used to be a tradition among unmarried girls, where if they ate
something very salty during Midsummer, or else collected several
different kinds of flowers and put these under their pillow when they
slept, they would dream of their future husbands," he says.
A lot of children are born nine months after Midsummer in Sweden.
Jan-Öjvind Swahn, ethnologist

There is a similar mythology about dreaming of one's future spouse in
parts of Greece. There, as in many European countries, the pagan
solstice got co-opted by Christianity and rebranded as St. John's Day.
Still, in many villages in the country's north, the ancient rites are
still celebrated.

One of the oldest rituals is called Klidonas, and involves local virgins
gathering water from the sea. The village's unmarried women all place a
personal belonging in the pot and leave it under a fig tree overnight,
where -- folklore has it -- the magic of the day imbues the objects with
prophetic powers, and the girls in question dream of their future husbands.




**** Harlow's notepad ****

It is becoming more and more difficult to find these virgins, due to
global warming.





All the women in the village gather, and take turns pulling out objects
and reciting rhyming couplets that are meant to predict the romantic
fortunes of the item's owner. These days, however, the festival is more
an excuse for the community of women to exchange bawdy jokes.
"In my village, the older women always seem to come up with the dirtiest
rhymes," says Eleni Fanariotou, who has filmed the custom. Later in the
day, the sexes mingle and take turns jumping over a bonfire. Anyone who
succeeds in jumping over the flames three times is meant to have a wish
granted. Fanariotou says the festival often results in coupling.

"It's a good time to meet someone, because all the young people in the
village go, and it's a good opportunity to socialize. Plus, all the men
like to show off, and make the biggest fire they can to jump through."
In Eastern Europe, the solstice celebrations fall on Ivan Kupala Day --
a holiday that has romantic connotations for many Slavs ("kupala" is
derived from the same word as "cupid").
In my village, the older women always seem to come up with the dirtiest
rhymes.

"It was once believed that Kupala night was a time for people to fall in
love, and that those celebrating it would be happy and prosperous
throughout the year," recalls Agnieszka Bigaj, from the Polish tourist
board. It used to be that young, unmarried women would float floral
wreaths in the river where eager bachelors on the other side would try
to catching the flowers. she adds.

According to Polish folklore, the man and woman in question would become
a couple. Bonfires are also a large feature of the holiday, and it's
tradition for a couple to leap through the flames together while holding
hands -- if they don't let go, it is said their love will last.
Test your knowledge of New Year customs

One of the largest solstice celebrations in the world, though, takes
place at Stonehenge, where thousands gather each year to bring in the
summer season. While for many the event is an excuse to party in the
lead up to the Glastonbury Festival, there is also a strong contingent
of pagans and neo-druids who treat the day like the ultimate marriage
ceremony.

"All druid rituals have an element of fertility, and the solstice is no
exception," says King Arthur Pendragon, a senior archdruid. "We
celebrate the union of the male and female deities -- the sun and the
Earth -- on the longest day of the year."










--
"OK you cunts, let's see what you can do now" -Hit Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjO7kBqTFqo

[HVAC]

On 6/18/2013 5:53 AM, Ksuvo wrote:
>
> We FINNS had exactly same rituals as other Northic-countries. We drank much
> alcohol and fight until to end.... But it is not good thing if we will get
> biggest weapons, I don't trust to my own people - they at once tries then to
> conquere Russian if you give us the all secrets of nuclear weapons... We are
> such stupid soldiers that we would try it....


Tuukka Rask got another shutout last night as the Boston Bruins went up
2 games to 1 over the Chicago Black Hawks in the Stanley Cup Finals.

I think he's one of you wacky Fins.


PS- I hear that there is a shortage of virgins to participate in these
Solstice celebrations. How about if we lower the virginity standards?