Midsummer's Eve aka St. Hans or St. John's Eve

Midsummer's Eve

"Norway celebrates Midsummer, not on Summer solstice but

on June 23 ," (which, I was told, is the birthdate of John the Baptist.)  "Like many other Christian celebrations, St. Hans was originally a pagan festival.  The central element of the celebration is the lighting of a huge bonfire.  Traditionally, the bonfire was lit around farms to "wake up" the ground.  When the light from the fire shone on the  fields, they were believed to become extra fertile that year.

The fire was also meant to ward off evil spirits and scare away witches.  Medieval superstition said that witches were particularly active on Midsummer's eve, as they were out harvesting ingredients for their potions or flying off to a witches' gathering.  In some areas a symbolic witch, (made of wood or wicker) is put on the bonfire, but this is actually a recent tradition that only became popular in the late 19th century.

St. Hans is a celebration of nature, life and fertility.  Many of the traditions are connected with the renewal of life.  If a girl picked five or seven different herbs and flowers on this day and put them under her pillow at night, she would dream of her husband to be."

(from, mylittlenorway.com)

Today, Midsummer's eve is just an opportunity for everyone

to have a night out close to nature, to barbecue and enjoy

the evening sun.  I was told it is also the day for everyone to

run into the sea, for the first time this season, if they hadn't already.

It was fun to meet and mingle with many of the ward members.

The Torjesen family

The Montanares family

Myself, Kari and Ingvild Tamper

Jim and I with Sisters Larsen and Hudson.

This was Sister Larsen's last evening in K-Sand  -

she transferred to Drammen the next morning.

After the fire burned down, the young people, (and Jim) 

had fun throwing frisbees near the beach.