June 24 – Joninės in Lithuania

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Midsummer in England, above, and Romania, below.

nMany European countries are celebrating Midsummer around about
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nToday we will check out the Midsummer festivities in the Baltic country of Lithuania.
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nPeople sing songs and dance until the sun sets. 
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nThen they do some storytelling while waiting for midnight – when they search to find the magic fern blossom. 
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Actually, ferns do not flower. But an old legend says that they do – just for a few hours at Midsummer’s midnight!

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nNext, they light bonfires – and some people jump over bonfires! 
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nWhen the sun rises, they greet it and wash their faces with morning dew. 
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nYoung girls float flower wreaths on whatever lake or river is nearest.
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nAll of those colorful traditions come from Pagan times, but centuries ago, Lithuanians dropped the traditions of offerings and sacrifices to Pagan gods and goddesses and instead recast the holiday as the feast of St. John. That’s why it is called Joninės.
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nBig Numbers Day

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nGreat American Backyard Campout

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n(Fourth Saturday in June)

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nShrimp Festival in Flanders

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nLast weekend in June

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nEid al Fitr

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nPlan ahead:

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Check out my Pinterest boards for:

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• nJune holidays

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• nJune birthdays

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• nHistorical anniversaries in June

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nAnd here are my Pinterest boards for:

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• nJuly holidays

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• nJuly birthdays

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• nHistorical anniversaries in July

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