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| Color of the day: Gold
Incense of the day: Parsley It is believed that in the Neolithic period the New Year was celebrated on the Summer Solstice. That would seem to make this holiday one of the oldest in the history (or prehistory) of the world. This is the day when the Sun is at its peak, and daylight occupies the greatest possible part of the day. In Ireland it is called Alban Heruin, though many now know it by its Anglo-Saxon name, Litha. The yearly cycle of holidays are strongly colored by the symbolism of the waning and waxing of the Sun's light. Today the Sun, light, health, and strength are at their peak, and by celebrating and sharing these qualities on this day we can increase these powers in ourselves. The traditional way of celebrating is to participate in athletic competitions. In the evening, a bonfire is lit and the participants jump over it for luck and health. In 1909, Sonora Dodd, inspired by a Mother's Day sermon, began to lobby for a similar holiday for fathers. Her father, who was a widower, had brought up Sonora and her five brothers and sisters by himself. As her father was born in June, she held the first Father's Day on Sunday, June 19 in 1910 in Spokane, Washington. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed it a national holiday, which would be held on the third Sunday in June. This year it fittingly coincides with the Solstice, the pinnacle of the Sun's masculine energy. |
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