There are as many different ways to celebrate the summer solstice as there are types of witchcraft and practices. Here I have listed a few of the more common ones
- Bonfire
- Nature walk
- Spend time with friends and or family
- House cleansing and warding
- BBQ or garden party
- Honor the sun
- Plan summer activities, spells and rituals to do over the coming season
- Make sun water
- Make sun tea
- Reflect on the last 6 months
- Collect herbs
- Leave and offering to the Fae
1. Bonfires are a big part of Litha traditions. They are probably the most common and obvious way to celebrate the Sabbat.
2. If you are able, a nature walk is an excellent way to celebrate. Especially if you are still in the broom closet. It is a great way to get back to nature and reconnect with your environment. Especially if you live a busy lifestyle and are unable to spend as much time there as you’d like.
3. Like all of the Sabbats, Litha is a great time to spend with your friends and family. You can use it as a time to remind yourself of all the people you have in your life that care about and support you.
4. For me, the solstices and equinoxes are the times that I like to perform a deep cleans of my home. They are also the times that I like to renew all my wards too. I do this at these times as a way to keep track of just how long it has been since the last time. I will talk more about my cleansing and warding rituals at a later date.
5. If you can, a common and less obviously witchy celebration is to have a BBQ or garden party. A BBQ is just another form of bonfire after all. It is also a great way of combining activities 1 and 3.
6. Honour the sun. This can be done in a number of ways. Creating Litha alter is one. Another is to get up early to watch the sunrise. These two activities are not always possible so just getting outside and soaking up some rays is just as good. But make sure to wear sunscreen if you do. You could also bring some summer joy into your home with some flowers. Sunflowers a usually a good choice for this.
7. Plan your summer. Summer is great time to grow in your witchy practice. Litha is a great time to plan out the next three months of spells and rituals. It is also a great time for love and fertility spells.
8. Make sun water. Sun water is made in a similar way to moon water. And what better time to make sun water then the time of year that the sun is at its most powerful.
9. Make sun tea. Letting the warmth of the sun heat up your tea as it’s brewing. Make sure you use a sealed bottle of jar though.
10. The solstice is a great time to reflect on the last 6 months. Or year if you prefer. It is a great way to see just how far you’ve come as a person and in your practice. It may not always seem like it, but you are always growing and progress is always being made. Never forget that.
11. Litha is the time of year that the plants are in full swing. This makes it a fantastic time to collect herbs and flowers.
12. As this is the time that the Fae emerge it is a great time to form a connection with them. You can do this by leaving offerings out for them. This can be in th form of food and drink. Mead, wine, milk, bread and cakes are common for this. But you can also leave out fruits, flowers or trinkets that you think they would like. The choice is yours.
Whatever you choose to do this Litha, make sure that you have fun. Life is both too long and to short not to enjoy it as much as you can.
