Midsummer is celebrated on June 19th this year, usually with bonfires such at these on the shores of Seurasaari Island. If the weather holds (iffy forecast at the moment), we may go see them this year and I'll take pictures. In addition, the island's website shares the following ways in which to make the most of the special solstice forces:
MIDSUMMER SPELLS
In Finnish tradition, the Midsummer Eve has always believed to have magical qualities. People do all kind of spells and charms. Most of them are in some way or another, linked to ones love life.
Midsummer night´s magic
On Midsummer Eve, young people ate salty herring, which made them very thirsty. The person who offered a glass of water to you in your dreams was considered to be your future spouse.
Ruovesi 1919
On Midsummer Eve when you secretly put a table into the cooking shelter and set it with nine different meals and start to eat, then all the boys (girls) you have been dating will come and sit around the table; but only your future spouse will sit next to you.
Nurmes 1891
How the girl´s flame of love was lit: On Midsummer eve, the sauna was heated with old pine tree branches, the water was fetched from three different springs and the bath whisks were made of alder twigs, which were torn from the ground.
Liperi 1916
When four young girls eat bread and butter on a four road crossing at midnight`s eve, the pictures of their future husbands will appear on the road.
Pihtipudas 1939
At midnight on Midsummer eve has the water of the springs turned into liquor. Tammela
When you sleep at Midsummer eve, you will be sleepy the whole summer.
Kauhava
On Midsummer eve, the women used to go behind the door of a pigsty, kick the door and ask the pig in how many years they will get married. If the pig didn`t answer, it meant that they will stay forever unmarried.
Luvia 1938
The boy/girl who wants to see his future spouse has to borrow the wedding ring of a married couple and on Midsummer eve, dunk it in a sparkling spring of water. After this the girl has to wear boy`s clothes and the boy girl`s clothes and put the ring into the mouth. Then, when you look at a spring, you will see there your sweetheart`s picture.
Pielavesi
On Midsummer eve, people used to sit at midnight on a big stone which was in the middle of a field or on the top of a building which had been three times rebuilt. There could be more than one person, but you had to be silent and believe that what you hear will happen. A laughter meant pleasure, bells marriage, a child`s cry children, a cuckoo`s call the number of the years of staying unmarried, the knocking of a hammer death, a faraway rumbling big changes in life and the ringing of church bells the death of a close friend. Muurla 1928
On Midsummer eve, you have to put under your pillow nine pieces of paper, written on each of it a girl´s or a boy´s name. Next morning, you take one of them. The name on the paper is the name of your future spouse.
Kiikoinen 1935
If you wanted to hear the voice of your future spouse, you had to climb on the roof of a food shelter which had been three times removed and shout into the woods. Then your future spouse was supposed to answer from there.
Sulkava
When you come from the Midsummer eve´s sauna you have to put a stick of firewood between your teeth and go backwards to bed, then your future spouse will appear to you in your dreams.
Sievi 1936
You take branches from nine different trees and sweep all four corners of a four roads´ crossing.
Then you will hear the barking of a dog from the direction where you future spouse will appear. You have to throw the branches quickly away before the dog comes and frightens you so much that you become sick.
Tuuteri 1944
On Midsummer eve, it was usual to put seven cups on a table upside down and hide under each cup an object, for example money, a key, a ring and so on. Then a person who hasn`t seen the setting lifts a cup. The object you find, predicts your future: if there is money, you will become rich; if there is a ring, you will get married; if a key, you will become a lady of a house.
Ikaalinen
On Midsummer Eve, if you mix mud of nine different sources and spread it over your whole body, you will not freeze during winter time.
A parish in Kuopio 1936
On Midsummer Eve people, used to go to rye fields and gather dew from the grass and wash their eyes with it. Then they gathered the dew into a linen and hanged it out on a tree. After this you were supposed to meet your future spouse.
Vieljärvi 1943
from: www.seurasaarisaatio.fi
