Happy solstice!

LordofTruth · 20th June 2012, 04:09 PM

Happy solstice, dear JREF Forum!

Astreja · 20th June 2012, 04:20 PM

(passes LordofTruth a bottle of Her homemade champagne mead, and cracks one open for Herself) And a happy solstice to you, too! *CLINK*

And now that spring's finally over, I can kick back and relax a bit for the next 9 months.

Beelzebuddy · 20th June 2012, 05:21 PM

I'd be down with a solstice party.

So what pagan festivals can we coopt for this shindig? Most of the ones I know concerned bringing the harvest in for the winter, surviving the winter, or being happy you survived the winter.

Anyone have any favorites they'd like to nominate?

[ETA] According to wikipedia this really is the lamest of the year-based holidays. Bonfires burning witches in effigy, a little herb-gathering/fornication, and cheese with caraway seeds. Break out the reserve party hats, people, it's gonna get hot tonight.

[ETAA] Most of the others have a food theme matching their season, so let's add one of those. This solstice, gorge yourself on fresh fruits, soft cheeses, deli meats, berry wine and applejack.

TimCallahan · 20th June 2012, 06:30 PM

So, it's today, the 20th., this year. When my wife and I got married in a portion of Ferndale Park (itself a portion of L.A.'s Griffith Park) in 1980, we did it as close to the solstice as we could reserve the place. That was on June 22. At the time, we were really poor and actually had to have a pot-luck reception. After it was all done, and we were cleaning up, Bonnie, my wife, had to go use the lady's room. She came back laughing: She had narrowly missed disturbing a family of skunks who had taken up residence there.

We will be celebrating our 32nd. anniversary on Friday, a bit after the solstice, but still in high summer. I hope all of you are celebrating the high side of life, and I wish all of you well. I might also add that I hope you will still be celebrating when the winter solstice rolls around on December 21, 2012. Then, we can all toast the pseudo-Mayan pseudo-apocalypse.

Pope130 · 20th June 2012, 07:22 PM

Congratulations TimCallahan (and Mrs. Tim!)

My wife and I married in a park on the solstice at moonrise (full moon at that). The 21st of June that year, but we celebrate on the solstice day, rather than the calender date. Just back from a picnic dinner in the same park.

psionl0 · 20th June 2012, 09:29 PM

Now we can all sit back and listen to the winter rain falling on our roof tops.

lionking · 20th June 2012, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by psionl0

Now we can all sit back and listen to the winter rain falling on our roof tops.

Yup, and going to work and arriving home in the dark.

psionl0 · 20th June 2012, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by lionking

Yup, and going to work and arriving home in the dark.

Ain't it grand?

I don't know how these Northern Hemispherians cope with their cold Christmases and clockwise running sun dials.

pakeha · 20th June 2012, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by psionl0

Now we can all sit back and listen to the winter rain falling on our roof tops.

That.

Jorghnassen · 21st June 2012, 07:21 AM

As much as I like the actual solstice, I'd rather celebrate it on the 24th, like it was meant to be (Midsummer, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, whatever other solstice celebration/excuse for drinking large amounts of beer you want to call it).

TimCallahan · 21st June 2012, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Pope130

Congratulations TimCallahan (and Mrs. Tim!)

My wife and I married in a park on the solstice at moonrise (full moon at that). The 21st of June that year, but we celebrate on the solstice day, rather than the calender date. Just back from a picnic dinner in the same park.

Great! Happy anniversary!

TimCallahan · 21st June 2012, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Jorghnassen

As much as I like the actual solstice, I'd rather celebrate it on the 24th, like it was meant to be (Midsummer, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, whatever other solstice celebration/excuse for drinking large amounts of beer you want to call it).

Don't forget Kupala.

Jorghnassen · 24th June 2012, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by TimCallahan

Don't forget Kupala.

Nice, but you might want to NSFW tag that link.

20th June 2012, 04:09 PM	#1
LordofTruth Thinker Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 153	Happy solstice! Happy solstice, dear JREF Forum!
LordofTruth Thinker Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 153

20th June 2012, 05:21 PM	#3
Beelzebuddy Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,715	I'd be down with a solstice party. So what pagan festivals can we coopt for this shindig? Most of the ones I know concerned bringing the harvest in for the winter, surviving the winter, or being happy you survived the winter. Anyone have any favorites they'd like to nominate? [ETA] According to wikipedia this really is the lamest of the year-based holidays. Bonfires burning witches in effigy, a little herb-gathering/fornication, and cheese with caraway seeds. Break out the reserve party hats, people, it's gonna get hot tonight. [ETAA] Most of the others have a food theme matching their season, so let's add one of those. This solstice, gorge yourself on fresh fruits, soft cheeses, deli meats, berry wine and applejack.
	Last edited by Beelzebuddy; 20th June 2012 at 06:22 PM.

20th June 2012, 06:30 PM	#4
TimCallahan Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,125	So, it's today, the 20th., this year. When my wife and I got married in a portion of Ferndale Park (itself a portion of L.A.'s Griffith Park) in 1980, we did it as close to the solstice as we could reserve the place. That was on June 22. At the time, we were really poor and actually had to have a pot-luck reception. After it was all done, and we were cleaning up, Bonnie, my wife, had to go use the lady's room. She came back laughing: She had narrowly missed disturbing a family of skunks who had taken up residence there. We will be celebrating our 32nd. anniversary on Friday, a bit after the solstice, but still in high summer. I hope all of you are celebrating the high side of life, and I wish all of you well. I might also add that I hope you will still be celebrating when the winter solstice rolls around on December 21, 2012. Then, we can all toast the pseudo-Mayan pseudo-apocalypse.
TimCallahan Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,125	Last edited by TimCallahan; 20th June 2012 at 06:33 PM.

20th June 2012, 09:33 PM	#7
lionking In the Peanut Gallery Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 29,649	Originally Posted by psionl0 Now we can all sit back and listen to the winter rain falling on our roof tops. Yup, and going to work and arriving home in the dark.
	__________________ A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject. Sir Winston Churchill

20th June 2012, 10:15 PM	#9
pakeha Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 7,980	Originally Posted by psionl0 Now we can all sit back and listen to the winter rain falling on our roof tops. That.
pakeha Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 7,980	__________________ To a conspiracy theorist, having double standards just means that they have twice as many standards. carlitos

20th June 2012, 04:20 PM	#2
Astreja Springy Goddess Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 973	(passes LordofTruth a bottle of Her homemade champagne mead, and cracks one open for Herself) And a happy solstice to you, too! CLINK And now that spring's finally over, I can kick back and relax a bit for the next 9 months.

20th June 2012, 07:22 PM	#5
Pope130 Muse Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 965	Congratulations TimCallahan (and Mrs. Tim!) My wife and I married in a park on the solstice at moonrise (full moon at that). The 21st of June that year, but we celebrate on the solstice day, rather than the calender date. Just back from a picnic dinner in the same park.

20th June 2012, 09:29 PM	#6
psionl0 Illuminator Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: 31°58'S 115°57'E Posts: 4,766	Now we can all sit back and listen to the winter rain falling on our roof tops.

20th June 2012, 09:35 PM	#8
psionl0 Illuminator Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: 31°58'S 115°57'E Posts: 4,766	Originally Posted by lionking Yup, and going to work and arriving home in the dark. Ain't it grand? I don't know how these Northern Hemispherians cope with their cold Christmases and clockwise running sun dials.

21st June 2012, 07:21 AM	#10
Jorghnassen Illuminator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The realm of ideas Posts: 3,881	As much as I like the actual solstice, I'd rather celebrate it on the 24th, like it was meant to be (Midsummer, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, whatever other solstice celebration/excuse for drinking large amounts of beer you want to call it).
	__________________ "Help control the local pet population: teach your dog abstinence." -Stephen Colbert "My dad believed laughter is the best medicine. Which is why several of us died of tuberculosis."- Unknown source, heard from Grey Delisle on Rob Paulsen's podcast

21st June 2012, 11:10 AM	#11
TimCallahan Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,125	Originally Posted by Pope130 Congratulations TimCallahan (and Mrs. Tim!) My wife and I married in a park on the solstice at moonrise (full moon at that). The 21st of June that year, but we celebrate on the solstice day, rather than the calender date. Just back from a picnic dinner in the same park. Great! Happy anniversary!
TimCallahan Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,125

21st June 2012, 11:20 AM	#12
TimCallahan Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,125	Originally Posted by Jorghnassen As much as I like the actual solstice, I'd rather celebrate it on the 24th, like it was meant to be (Midsummer, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, whatever other solstice celebration/excuse for drinking large amounts of beer you want to call it). Don't forget Kupala.
TimCallahan Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,125

24th June 2012, 11:17 AM	#13
Jorghnassen Illuminator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The realm of ideas Posts: 3,881	Originally Posted by TimCallahan Don't forget Kupala. Nice, but you might want to NSFW tag that link.
	__________________ "Help control the local pet population: teach your dog abstinence." -Stephen Colbert "My dad believed laughter is the best medicine. Which is why several of us died of tuberculosis."- Unknown source, heard from Grey Delisle on Rob Paulsen's podcast