Mittsommer: Feste & Rituale

Holiday Series

by Anna Franklin

Summer solstice celebrants will find plenty of inspirational rituals, magic spells, and recipes in Anna Franklin's Midsummer. As in her previous book about the early fall festival of Lammas, Franklin can be whimsical as well as reverent. From the building of a magical bonfire to the staging of elaborate solstice rituals involving priests and priestesses, Franklin offers something for every level of pagan. In the section on "Midsummer Magic and Divination," Franklin gives instructions for placing various herbs and charms beneath the pillow to welcome prophetic dreams. Those who are inspired by the more romantic Shakespearean take on Midsummer's Eve can try some of Franklin's love divination techniques, such as flicking an apple seed toward the ceiling to see if your love is requited. Franklin also gives specific instructions for performing the "Rites of Midsummer." For instance, "The altar should be decorated with golds and yellows--this theme is echoed through candles, clothes and flowers.... Centrally placed should be a sun wheel or sun representation." And for the Martha Stewart-style pagan there are some excellent recipes, including Anise Tea and Comfrey Fritters. --Gail Hudson

Genres: Paganism, Spirituality, Wicca, Witchcraft, Religion, Nonfiction, Reference

332 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[MaggiCat Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Sections include:

- The Origin of the Midsummer Celebration
- Midsummer Customs
- Ancient Themes for Modern Pagans
- Midsummer Magic & Divination
- Midsummer Herb Craft
- Traditional Midsummer Recipes (short and just okay material)
- Midsummer Rituals (not my cup of tea but I’m not a ritualistic practitioner)
- Appendix 1 (covers animal totems)
- Appendix 2 (calendar of summer solstice and saint celebrations from June 1 - July 7)
- Appendix 3 (Midsummer correspondences)
- Appendix 4 (gods and goddesses of Midsummer)
- Appendix 5 (sun symbols)
- Glossary

Overall, I wasn’t surprised about anything I read but this isn’t my first Litha. I think it’s a great source for pagans and I’ve dog-eared the pages to the herbs chapter for quick reference.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is probably my least favorite of this series of books on the Sabbats. It seemed to lack the “fun” that some of the others had. It does have interesting information about Midsummer, including its history, and there are a few recipes and some rituals, but the rituals are designed more for covens rather than solitaries, which is a tad disappointing. Still, it’s a nice book to have for anyone’s library, whether they are a pagan, witch, Wiccan, or anybody who is interested in the subject.

[Heather Adkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great background info on the holiday, as well as fantastic recipes for both food and incense/oils/etc, but I was a little let down because there was not a single solitary ritual. All her suggested rituals were for covens.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of interesting historical information, along with many spells and recipes for food, incense, and oils. It also has an extensive list of herbs and uses, which I greatly enjoyed reading.

However, it did not offer much that I could add to my practice as a solitary witch.

[Kiara]

got some fun new celebration ideas!! ☀️💐🧚🏻✨

[Liko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had fun

[Julie Decker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of Litha/Midsummer information, including lore and history, symbolism, rituals, spells, and recipes. Since Midsummer is supposed to be a time when faeries might visit, there is also some faery lore, plus some instructions on making certain magical tools. Group rituals are featured with different focuses (including handfasting--this is a special time to join romantic couples and celebrate union). It's primarily just an overview, and it has no specific rituals for people who prefer to celebrate alone. A decent collection of associated information, and well organized.

[Swankivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read because of the proximity of summer solstice; this was a collection of lore, recipes, spells, and whatnot about this time of year, helped me to prepare for my celebration.

[Bladestryke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book filled with lots of information. Easy to read and set up in sections that are easy to reference a must if your studying the turn of the wheel!