Midsummer 2016: 6 spells

Helsinki, 20 degrees


Are you sure that we are awake? It seems to me that yet we sleep, we dream!

The most magical time of the year is upon us: Midsummer that is! In Finland, we do believe in Christmas magic, as we are the home country of no other than Santa Claus himself, but equally important for us is the magic of summer that culminates during Midsummer. Midsummer is the time of breathtaking natural phenomena, the midnight sun among them. According to the most well-known Finnish old Midsummer spell, single girls dream about their spouse to be if they collect seven wildflowers and/or herbs and place them underneath their pillow when they go to sleep on Midsummer Eve. This Midsummer, I felt no need to practice this spell as I find myself happily engaged, so instead, I made a floral crown to my baby girl from wildflowers that I collected during our pram walk today. In this blog post, you'll see the floral crown, and I'll also present six other Finnish Midsummer spells that I found in our biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that I think to tell a lot about the local society & traditions. The spells are mostly meant for single girls.

Vuoden maagisin aika, eli juhannus, on täällä! Tänä juhannuksena en kerännyt seitsemän kukkaa/yrttiä tyynyn alle, olenhan onnellisesti kihloissa. Sen sijaan keräsin villikukkia ja tein kukkaseppeleen viikon ikäiselle tyttärelleni. Tässä blogikirjoituksessa pääset näkemään kuvia kukkaseppeleestä, ja esittelen myös kuusi juhannusperinneloitsua. Loitsut löysin Helsingin Sanomien Nyt -liitteestä.

1) On Midsummer Eve, by passing nine crossings, you'll meet your upcoming love while passing the last intersection. / Kävelemällä juhannusaattona yhdeksän risteyksen yli tapaa tulevan rakkaansa viimeistä risteystä ylittäessä.

2) On Midsummer Eve, run seven times clockwise naked with a hymn book around the biggest stone on your courtyard. You will meet your future love by the stone. / Juokse juhannusaattona virsikirja kädessä alasti seitsemän kertaa myötäpäivään pihan suurimman kiven ympäri. Juhannusyönä kivelle palatessasi tapaat siellä tulevan puolisosi.

3) During Midsummer, by moving your neighbor's plant from his/her field to your own field, your field will prosper and your neighbor will have a bad harvest. / Siirtämällä kasvin juhannusyönä naapurin pellosta omaan peltoon sinun peltosi menestyy ja naapurille tulee huono sato.

4) During Midsummer, you'll reach a favorable state for love by going to the sauna and basting yourself with water that has different boiled flowers in it. / Lemmelle otollisen tilan saavutat, kun valelet itsesi juhannusyönä saunassa vedellä, jossa on keitetty erilaisia kukkasia.

5) If the Midsummer bonfire's smoke turns your way, you'll soon get married. / Jos juhannuskokon savu kääntyy suuntaasi, pääset pian naimisiin.

6) During Midsummer, when you sit on a rock that is surrounded by water, you'll learn to become a good player. / Kun juhannusyönä istuu sellaisen kiven päällä, jota joka puolelta ympäröi vesi, niin oppii hyväksi soittajaksi.


Do you celebrate Midsummer? Do you believe in summer magic and/or spells?

Miten juhlit juhannusta? Uskotko juhannustaikoihin?


What's your opinion?

  1. I can't say Midsummer is super important to me. yes, we barbecue some meat and have a nice meal but I can't say it happens only during Midsummer :P it seems to me that for too many Estonians it's a drinking holiday. not so great, right? I myself don't drink alcohol so I have a pretty strong opinion about it :) oh and about those spells - it would be lovely if some of them worked but I'm not sure they do, hehe. beautiful crown by the way!

    Maiken - Part of me

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    1. Thank you, I was happy with how the crown turned out as well! :)

      xxx
      E

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