How to Celebrate the Summer Solstice

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Now that the spring equinox is behind us, it's time to start thinking about how you're going to commemorate the start of summer.

Step 1: Understand the solstice
Understand what the summer solstice is -- in the Northern Hemisphere, it's the day when the North Pole is tilted closest to the sun, making it the longest day of the year.

Step 2: Have a bonfire
Make a bonfire. Ancient civilizations believed that the fire they created would ward off evil spirits. Many cultures carry on this tradition today.

Step 3: Pick some flowers
Pick some flowers. In medieval Europe, people believed that plants picked during the summer solstice had the ability to heal.

Step 4: Head to Stonehenge
Visit Stonehenge, Britain's famous prehistoric stone monument. Because the structure aligns with the sunrise on the solstice, thousands of people gather there to celebrate the day by watching the sun come up.

Tip
Other great destinations for celebrating the solstice include Sedona, Arizona, and Cairo, where an ancient sun temple was discovered in 2006.

Step 5: Dance around a maypole
Dance around a maypole -- a flower and ribbon-festooned vertical bar. That's a cherished tradition in Sweden, where the summer solstice is a major holiday.

Step 6: Organize a naked run
Organize a naked run -- if you can secure your town's permission! It's a new -- but increasingly popular -- ritual in Riga, the capital of Latvia, as part of their solstice festivities.

Did You Know?
"Solstice" comes from the Latin words "sol," which means sun, and "stare," to stand.