Midsummer is not only a treasured holiday in Finland, but it’s also a magical one. The same goes for Sweden, where midsummer marks the beginning of the holidays. And what better way to celebrate, than with a midsummer sauna?
Midsummer marks the start of summer
Midsummer eve is at the end of June, which is also when many Finnish and Swedish people choose to start their vacation. It marks the beginning of the summer and ends the dark and cold months. In the very north, welcoming the midnight sun is an essential part of the celebration.
Friends and family gather in the countryside
A traditional midsummer celebration takes place in the countryside, and includes all kinds of countryside activities, such as fishing, boat rides and barbecuing. Even in the South of Finland, days are long and the summer nights are very light. The party often starts early in the day and lasts all night.
Bonfires and midsummer sauna
A midsummer bonfire is a beloved tradition for many Finns, and so is the midsummer sauna. The essence of a midsummer sauna is a wood-fired one right by the sea or a lake, where you go skinny-dipping in the freshwater in between the sauna rounds. The typical Finnish birch leaf whisks, or Vihta, as they are called in Finland, add to the experience with their summery scent.
The love spells of midsummer
Historically, midsummer has been associated with magic and superstition, and even nowadays spells are cast to bring fertility and prosperity for the year to come. Midsummer is also a popular time for wedding ceremonies.
Here are 3 love spells for you to try out this midsummer:
#1 Roll in a dewy wheat field
Rolling around naked in a dewy field will prompt your future husband to enter your life during the year to come.
#2 Put a spell on a field
Find a clove with four leaves, and hide it under your shirt or dress. At midnight, run around the field where you found it three times with your hair let down. Make sure the one you love eats bread made from wheat harvested in that very same field. This will inevitably make them fall in love with you.
#3 Collect 8 flowers from 8 meadows
Gather 8 different kinds of flowers and put the bouquet under your pillow. Doing so will make the love of your life appear in your dreams.
Source: https://www.visitfinland.com/white-night-magic/
