The History of Midsummer (St. John's Day) Explained
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- Опубліковано 10 чер 2024
- In this video, we take a look at the summer holiday known as "Midsummer", also called "St. John the Baptist's Day", which was once a holiday as popular as Christmas celebrated across Europe, and which remains popular in some areas today. We look at the customs and traditions, folklore elements, food, discuss why it so widely disappeared, where it didn't disappear, and more.
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Midsummer is well alive in Finland at least, it's the biggest holiday alongside Christmas. We go to the cottages by the lakes of by the sea and eat & drink, make flower wreaths, go to midsummer night's sauna and make a huge bonfire by the water (or on the water).
Then you put young birch trees by the doors to bring good luck and keep bad luck away and you do all kinds of midsummer's magic depending on what you want with it. Usually it has to do with future spouses like picking the 7 different flowers and putting them under the pillow to see your future mate in a dream, or making a flower wreaths with specific flowers for fertility, or rolling naked in a rye field and jump over 9 ditches to get a high quality husband, etc.
There are dozens of different magic spells and meanings like if you see a viper on a midsummer night your spouse will arrive from that direction or as many times as you hear the cuckoo, so many years until you find your spouse ... there are just SO many of these!
I live in Mexico and first learned about Midsummer because of The Moomins 💖
Same thing in all of the baltics, although the customs are different
Here in Serbia, we have many spring and early summer celebrations (preslava). On Midsummer's Day (Ivanjdan), girls weave a wreath of flowers and garlic, this wreath is hung by the front door for good luck and health. On the eve of St. Peter's Day (Petrovdan), big fires are lit and lila or mace (a stick with dry bark of wild cherry) are made, before in the villages burning lilas were thrown over the cattle pens, today adults in every neighborhood make a bonfire and watch that the children do not set someone's car on fire.
While listening to the narration about St. John's midsummer festival made me realize how important that festival is for us brazillians. We called them "festa junina" or june fest and we celebrate it by jumping bonfires, eating a lot and dancing. Funny enough, to us its a winter festival.
I am sincerely sorry that you live in brazil
I first learned of the holiday when I lived in Rio nearly 60 years ago. I never knew it was celebrated elsewhere. I suppose in northern Europe it was a pagan festival related to the summer solstice. That certainly couldn’t be the case for Brazil.
It's too bad we (in America) let this fade away. I was raised in Indiana and after i joined the Navy and saw how the rest of the world was, i learned that there was a paucity in community building and sustaining traditions in America.
I would sit in town squares in Italy, Spain and France and just feel amazed at how many people came there to visit one another and eat/drink dance and be merry. It made me sad to think i had missed out on that in my life.
While I’m not familiar with “Christmas in July” in Canada, I see it where I am living in the US. However, it’s not a holiday; it’s for doing charitable works for people who might need help but sadly are often helped at Thanksgiving and at Christmas and then sort of forgotten until the next year. So, it’s a mid-year opportunity to assist others.
I've never seen or even heard of this in the US; sounds like pure nonsense
Ah yes midsommar, the actual swedish national day.
Also don't worry it's not full of terrifying rituals. Everybodoy here is to drunk or busy dancing the frog dance to do it 😁
On a pineapple?
question is, isn't "små grodorna" considered a terrifying ritual to an outside observer?
In Denmark, we don't celebrate St. John's Day, but we do celebrate the eve (the 23rd), just like we celebrate Christmas eve (24th) rather than Christmas day (25th). Ours includes the bonfire, however, that bonfire also includes a witch on it that is said to be on sent her merry way to the Brocken mountain in Northern Germany, but, personally, I've only ever seen her burnt down to a crisp while screaming her lungs out (we often add whistling fireworks to the bonfire).
When the fire is lit, we begin singing our traditional songs. It's not as huge as it is in Sweden, but it often comes close to the end of the school year, so it's sort of a stand-in for a last gathering before we go our separate holidaying ways.
That was an another excellent video! I’ve just got down from the shelf the excellent book The English Year by Steve Roud (Penguin Books 2006) which is ‘a month by month guide to the Nation’s
customs and festivals from Mayday to Mischief night’ . His section on St John’s The Baptist Day (24th June ) pp 297-307) which he describes as ‘ undoubtedly one of the high spots of the festival year in medieval times’ he writes: ‘ the modern idea that it was connected with fairies and sprites abroad is wrong’ and that is based solely on the literal reading of the title of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream which the text makes clear is May Day Eve’ which in European folklore is when the fairy & mortal worlds intermingle. However he does describe at length the love divination practices such as Dumb Cake ( p302 including the full procedure !) and ‘MidSummer Men’ where the plant Orpine ( Hylotelephium telephium) would be pinned in pairs on joists by maids to see as the plant wilted if their intended tilted toward or away.
Interestingly a description by John Stow in 1590’s describes the overwhelming urge to build bonfires in the crowded streets of London Town after sunset along with buffet feasting and doors & churches bedecked with boughs of birch & flowers. The bonfires were presumed to have a cleansing effect on the foul air which were suppressed like most things by the later Puritans., although bonfire lighting carried on for a long time after in the West Country
The collective mid summer festivities would continue up St Peter’s Eve 29 June including lots of urban processions inc the Tailors Guild in Salisbury which lasted up until the Reformation although its Processional Giant can still be seen in Salisbury Museum & stands 14 ft high … fascinating stuff! 😊👍
'The English Year' really is first rate - especially the hard back version.
And no nonsense about 'pagan fertility rites'.
yea, most of us still celebrate midsummer in Sweden, but for most it's not seen as having any association with St. john. We usually just see it as a general celebration of the harvest season. Also, as to traditions it's really just dancing around the midsummer pole that's ubicous, most other traditions and customs varies depending on how dedicated you are. Additionally we don't really do any bonfire stuff. As to foods you usually eat pickled herring, potatoes and vanilla ice-ream or normal cream with strawberries as desert.
As a Brazilian, who partakes in the festivities of Saint John's Day, I can confirm we do set people on fire and start moaning like baboons.
Brazil sounds great.
Nice
Thank you for sharing your culture with us, you equatorial savage.
@@davidmeehan4486lmaooo it’s not true,our Saint John’s say it’s more like a farm thematic festival,ppl wear country clothes and eat popular farm food,it’s pretty cool
Great stuff as always. Historical/regional holidays are oddly interesting, maybe because the historians at the time didn't necessarily think to record something that happened every year (or were just too drunk to try).
Thank you for another fine presentation.
While in Bolivia in 1988, there were bonfires and fireworks on St. John’s night. And my Lutheran church observes the feast of St. John during Divine Service.
It's still a common practice here in brazil. And its basically a catholic thing. Most protestant churches deem it as a pagan tradition.
@@mateussalvador2103They are ignorant fools. São João is more than a religious festival, it is a heritage of the Brazilian people. In addition, it combines the culture of native Brazilians, Afro-Brazilians and European descendants, to belittle this is almost racist.
That is pretty awesome dude!
Super popular in Latvia. It is Christmas for adults - sex, drinking beer and naked run.
My family in Virginia reinvented a holiday by accident around this one called splash bash. We drink, camp around our lake, and jump over and dance around bonfires out in the woods.
My family celebrates midsummer by climbing trees naked covered in bacon grease and yelling our regrets to the night sky
@Syd McCreath I think he is being sarcastic
Great video, as always. Italy doc gonna be a banger
It’s always cool to learn about something new. Thank you for the video.
Thank you so much for making this video!!!
I'm really going to sound like a wierdo on the internet with this next comment, but I make seasonal alcoholic beverages as a hobby (including for niche and antiquated holidays).
I'm making mead for midsommar right now.
I really appreciate your passion for holidays. They are wonderful traditions that add a rich texture to life.
It's good to see so many kindred spirits on here. This channel is amazing, Happy St. John's Day/Midsommar, y'all!
That sounds like a great hobby. In fact, I am impressed, especially since you do it for these niche holidays.
@@Fireoflearning thanks! I think I will do something blackberry related this Michaelmas.
I love learning about lesser known holidays
In Brazil Saint John’s day it’s so fun,ppl eat a lot of country food and dress up like cowboys and a lot of dance,it’s basically a second Carnaval
The Eastern Orthodox Church calls June 24th the Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist. This year it’s on a Friday which is usually a fast day. But because of the feast we’re allowed fish. No meat or dairy though
Cheers on making the video. You pretty much mentioned everything and more most of the people from the regions where they celebrate know themselves.
Nice work. Planning my festivities now that I have a new holiday to celebrate!
People not knowing how to behave = why we can't have a fun holiday anymore! But I have always quietly celebrated Midsummer Day by going out for an ice cream.
Thank you for the informative and entertaining video.
your swedish pronunciation is hilarious but good video!
I love your videos, I am glad you are back. 🧠🧠
Thank you for sharing
Dont worry, I'm a Swede. I got this one
Should do a lore video about festivus
Well done! Being American, I had never even heard of St John's day.. Yeah it got swapped for 4th of July. We never miss a chance to make it all about us! 😂
Christmas in July originated in Australia as July is their winter and so more appropriate to celebrate Xmas and large feasting. I have enjoyed this bonus celebration there.
I love this I was born at dawn on midsummer
Love your videos
Oh, how I loved feeding the bonfires with my old school books! 😁
A video about Midsummer without mentioning Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream? A play very much about that line between this world and the fairy/mystical world. OK, that's just the theater part of my major talking. Great intro video. These feast days and their origins fascinate me.
Justin, are you planning on celebrating this holiday like you did Michaelmas? If so, how? I love these holiday videos!
Yes. A small family party this evening. We can't have a bonfire, so I just bought a light-up flame thing. I also bought a cheap light-up flower for my nephews to run out and find as the "fern flower".
I like your videos they are cool
Durings feast days for St. John the Baptist in the Philippines, children are allowed to throw buckets of water at innocent people. It's annoying and I hate it because they sometimes dye the water and it leaves bad stains.
Here in spain we celebrate "San Juan" by lighting bonfires and firecrackers. cool to see where it came from.
Also it's a bit surreal hearing you talk about the "coca de san Juan" as i am from Catalonia :P
24th June is John the Baptist day and celebrated as the high point in the freemasonic calendar. It is a recognised occultic day because of its connotations with the high point on the solar calendar and mid-summer.
Haven't watched this yet but wondering if it mentions that...?
Very much still celebrated in Michigans upper peninsula due to a heavy Finnish influence
Yeah, Midsummer (Juhannus) is the biggest party of the year in Finland. Everyone celebrates it!
What do you mean, there IS Christmas in Summer... At least, in Australia :)
tomorrow is our big festival in quebec and it kicks off summer for us!
Thanks! 🏵️🌻🌼
Any idea of when you guys will post another video of a nation's history? You and your team are very thorough in your research,the videos are very comprehensive,though I would ask for more relevant art in the background,oil paintings are always nice. I would love for you guys to do Egypt or Palestine. As always, thank you & Assamlu Aleikum.
This month, July at the latest
I did not get the notification, I watch all your videos so I dont know why I didnt see it
this was and is a pagan solstice festival and is very dear to LATVIA Jāņi lego, maybe Before alot of the rest joined this celebration because it the was around long before the church
declared it saint Johns the Baptist and blended it with this day on the 24th
As said in Spain St John Day and especially St John's Eve is well alive, specially the bonfire tradition.
In Puerto Rico, we still celebrate St. John's day except we celebrate at night and call Noche de San Juan.
We celebrate this in Brazil, its very popular here. Best time for eating hehehehe
In fact, we celebrate summer solstice by always eating the traditional winter dish Kale, mashed potatoes with smoked sausage from Gelre/Gelderland. So the winter may return.
Thank you Valheim 🪓
I for one was completely bummed out when I found out the real Midsummer is nothing like the movie.
@Syd McCreath No I'm just kiddin. While I do adore the movie, I wouldn't wish that upon anyone.
“That movie is a horror movie about a fictional cult”
Unlike Fire of Learning which is a real cult.
A cult with a capybara as leader, scary
@@patrickols WTF?
@@josephcollins6033 never heard of Peanut our great and powerful leader?
@@patrickols No. But, I've heard of Brandon and his sidekick, Karmeleeeesha.
@@patrickols Hail Peanut.
Still celebrated here in Cork, though it's strongly opposed by the fire service.
please make more food vids
Thank you for another interesting episode! I knew basically nothing about this holiday as an American Christian myself 😅.
God be with you out there everybody. ✝️ :)
Heh. My childhood best friend’s birthday is June 24th, and his name is John….
Hey what's your take on the theory of Tartaria?
its still celebrated right here in Québec it is our national day
We celebrate it in Portugal
I have only ever seen the trailer for the film, "Midsommar" and I am scarred for life. When I was working a summer job with a lot of other young people, we had a "Christmas in July" party because we wouldn't see each other in December. It was an absolute blast. Five out of five stars, highly recommend.
May as well go all in and watch the whole thing then.
How can you not mention Brazil? The best celebration of São João (St. John's day) is here! The Capybara would agree with me.
I do mention Brazil. Peanut, who draws ancestry from there, does indeed agree.
@@FireoflearningI heard only you saying latin america with a picture of a festa junina (St. John's day), but you didn't said the word Brazil. And you are wrong to say that most of Latin America celebrates the a festa Junina, as only Peru celebrates it besides us.
Sorry but the Province Of Quebec as the best St. Jean Baptiste no question. Everyone get’s drunk on cheap beer, argue about the French and English language, trash a few parks and wake up the next morning with a hang over to go back to work.
@@patrickols Amateurs. The celebration here lasts 3 whole days, there's booze, food, fireworks, dance competitions, cash prize draw and even weddings. And when there's the world cup at same time, virgin maria is too good sô!
Except that in Brazil is celebrated on winter. Midwinter? 😅 Christmas is our summer celebration.
Allez-vous venir qu Québec pour fêter la Saint-Jean-Baptiste M. Violet?
Pas cette année, malheureusement
This survives in Quebec as well!
this history is news to me
I felt like I was on drugs for most of that movie.
"Jordgubbstårta" is literally just strawberry shortcake
I am disappointed you didn't mention the Bulgarian tradition of fire walking called "Nestinarstvo"
You mean to tell me the American Christmas in July isn’t a holiday 😂😂
why don't u do the hour long nations history videos anymore?
I actually briefly address that in this video
I think you have it backward regarding the USA. St John's Day had been established and practiced for 150 years in the colonies; it was July 4th that was the new kid on the block but, since it was specific to the US, it had to be celebrated and since it was the Roman Catholics who liked to throw parties - and they were not popular in the US, St John's Day was a subdued affair making it easy to toss. St. John's Day was alive and well just a little over a century ago in NE Pennsylvania. My grandmother celebrated June 24th as her birthday (which was actually the 21st) because her parents didn't want to have two 'holidays' so close together and everyone already celebrated St John's Day. This is actually ironic since the family also had some pagan holdovers too, such as pinning garlic in a baby crib, and the summer solstice is closer to or on June 21st which had its own festive activities; I recall a story about a dance where bunches of grapes were hung about the hall and if you got caught taking one you had to put a nickel or a dime in the 'kitty' which was then given to those less fortunate to at least ease their financial pinch a bit - but I'm not certain it was summer solstice; may have been the fall equinox ... but it does tie in with what you said about putting food out.
When 'feast' doesn't mean 'feast' ....
Anyone actually know when J was born,? I believe he was a follower of the Baptist...😮
I appreciate your desire to educate people, but I need your campfire series pumped into veins.
I thought the term Bon fire came from WW2 term of the fire bombing of Bon Germany.😮
People are smart
Doesn't Aussies celebrate Christmas in June/July, since it's winter then?
The root of this celebrated day is that it's the longest day, Summer Solstice, opposite the shortest day, Winter Solstice. It is one of the 4 fire festivals, including both Equinoxes. You really blew it on this one.
Neopaganism is not ancient Paganism. The wheel of the year is a modern creation.
Very logical, the longest day of the year.
@Fireoflearning
Sun cycles are notable as secular. Ancient people observed this cycle of solar waxing and waning, much like our moon.
What is your problem? Real information?
People will celebrate what they will, but actual cycles were not one they ignored.
@Ruthanne Seven On the contrary, I am very interested in rescuing the true information about ancient Pagan practices from the things people have completely made up in the past 300 years which everyone now ardently believes in spite of the complete lack of supportive evidence. If you can show me the primary evidence that actually reinforces your claims, that the celebrations of the solstices and equinoxes are the origins of these holidays, I will be more than happy to incorporate it into future presentations.
I am glad we know more about how the world really works... that said, days off and social events are a great way to build and connect communities.
So... we need more celebratory days 😁👌
...dumb cake...become an idiot...Now, that's funny! Thanks!
But Christmas is in summer?
Whoop
Since when is it the 24th the solstice is the 21
So Midsummer was the original Pride Month? Cool
It happens in the middle of summer every year. Your welcome.
Isn’t that Jesus first cousin once removed?
first
After watching midsommar im now scared of swedish people 💀
That was a butchering of San Juan
How is it said in Catalan?
I thought John was "JESUS"fishing buddy!( Bone fire hmmm took the meaning to a whole different level).
It's the summer solstice, just as Chrustmas is the winter solstice. Early Christians made up Jesus' and St. John's birthdays to be able to take over these two pagan holidays. No mystery there.
Puritans are such party poopers
holidays taken away because of "the mans" bottom line....oy
St. John's is a big deal in Vodun (Voodoo), a syncretic religion, and Midsummer is a big deal festival in modern Wicca, and I'd like to know what scholars reject Maypoles (Beltane, Celtic holiday) being fertility symbols, of course they are. The old religions are just that, old. They predate Christianity by millennia. Gee, I wonder why Midsommer would be full of fertility symbols. FFS.
Ronald Hutton, an expert in the subject, is one prominent example.
Misummer predates the Roman Jewish religion, yet this video talks about the later more. . Can you imagine doing that with any other religions. 👎
If I could see evidence detailing its pre-Christian celebration, I would gladly share it.
@@Fireoflearning you see them in the Solstice traditions. They remained much longer in the Baltics.. Like most Christian holidays, they were placed over the indigenous pagan holidays, and just incorporated their beliefs and converted them.
Proof is that Midsommarblot existed in Scandinavia long before Christianity. Even old stone age graves lines up win the solstice. They were built thousands of years before Christianity.
@@Checkyoursix77 So the church was focused on Scandinavia, a region well outside of the Roman Empire, and its holidays 500 years before the conversion of Scandinavia began? Am I really just completely wrong, or could there be more to this story after all?
Go spend Solstice up the tor or...
Wait a few days and do the lame Christian version, they have ribbons, woot.
Midsommar is not Christian