The Meaning(s) of Midsummer

It is Midsummer today in Finland, which holds a very special, magical meaning throughout the Nordic countries. It is the longest day of the year, which signals the high point of summer when all growing things are at a peak of freshness. It is also a day that marks the traditional start of summer vacation for many people, after a long, dark winter of work. And, if you are very lucky, it is the day on which you may find your true love, given the proper botanical preparation of seven wildflowers placed under the pillow, which may also explain why it is also one of the most popular days to get married.¹

Finns celebrate the day with bonfires, maypoles, barbecues and, of course, sauna, all of which often happens at their summer cottages, located on one of the thousands of lakes that dot the Finnish countryside. In this sense, Midsummer is a return to, and re-connection with, nature, in every sense.

These long sunny summer days, and short cool nights, are also the unique environmental conditions that give our Midsummer roses and other herbs their special botanical properties, conditions that are only possible at this high northern latitude, which is why we named our natural cosmetics line after this magical summer moment.

We wish everyone a very happy, magical and romantic Midsummer. Hyvää juhannusta!

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1. NB: Our Midsummer Rose natural cosmetics have many of the flowers required for this botanical spell to work, so you may want to place a tube of our face cream under your pillow instead, especially if you can’t get to a Finnish meadow in time for Midsummer.