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Midsummer and StJohn's Festivals

What are you doing to mark Midsummer?

In ancient times, the Midsummer Festival centred around building a great bonfire, to encourage the sun to shine and ripen the crops, and as it died down, young men and women would jump over it to purify themselves.

According to the book, “All Year Round”, Midsummer Day is an excellent day to eat outside, to cook food over an open fire, and use edible flowers as part of the meal. Nature tables at this time of the year often include bees, gold spirals, and hanging suns. Some people celebrate by hanging a bouquet of cornflowers on their front door, leaving a light on all night long, or by bringing in sunflowers to brighten a corner of their home.

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We celebrate Midsummer at school by wearing bright, flame coloured clothes, telling stories, drumming, singing and playing games, this culminates with the lighting of the St John’s fire with flaming torches. All this combines to mirror the experience we have of nature at this time of year, where life is intensively lived during the long summer days.

We often make these butterflies and little bees at this time of year; here are step by step instructions to make your own .....

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