11. Midsummer was thought to be a magical time when evil spirits appeared.
To keep the evil spirits at bay, pagans wore garlands of herbs and flowers. The plant thought to provide the most protection against evil spirits was “chase devil” better known today as St. John’s Wort, a natural mood stabilizer.
12. The summer solstice is sometimes called the summer Christmas, as it celebrates the birth of St. John the Baptist.
June 24 is the birthday of St. John the Baptist and early Christians adopted the bonfires and outdoor feasts from Druid solstice celebrations for this day. Though the Druids lit fires to scare away evil spirits, the Christians used the fires as symbols of St. John pointing out Christ as a light in the darkness.
