Litha in the Garden

Credit: liveriga.com

The Blessed Summer Solstice is nearly upon us! I love this holiday 1) because it's super close to my birthday and 2) because, well, summer.  Our little family practices our own brand of neo-pagan spirituality, so esbats have become important milestones in our year. Since I am obsessed with my plants, I thought I would share some ideas for celebrating in your garden/yard/nature surroundings.

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Leave offerings for the fae, as they are especially active when the weather is warm. We leave milk, bread and berries for the fairies, gnomes, elves and of course the lizards.

Nourish your plants with plant food or fertilizer.  The days are hot, long and sometimes dry, so make sure your garden is being watered daily and given food partway through the growing season.

Set up a nature-friendly altar outdoors.  Include things like rocks, sticks, flowers, leaves and herbs. As long as it came from nature in that form, it should be fine. If it's close enough to your home to leave up overnight feel free to add some other altar items.

Enjoy a bonfire with your family or friends (or both if you can!!) This is definitely a favorite of mine! My kids (and husband TBH) are addicted to making fires and cooking over them. If the solstice coincides with the weekend, we go camping. Since this year it is on a Monday, we will grill and have a fire in our yard.

Talk about the holiday.  My Druid husband and I are making a point to teach our children the traditional holidays, so we have been telling stories and doing activities at each turn of the wheel.  Since Litha is the Summer Solstice, you can talk about the growth since Beltane, which was a time of fertility and planting seeds. Many seeds planted back in March are sprouting (metaphorically and physically).

Eat fresh fruits and veggies (local if possible) outside or at a park. Enjoy nature, get some sun on your face and thanks the gods for another day of life.  Then clean up after yourself, recycle the stuff you can and leave nothing but a footprint.

Do you have special traditions for Litha? Let us know how you plan to celebrate (or already celebrated) in the comments!

Ariella Upton of Silfren Circle