Summer solstice: Traditions around the world

Daisy Carrington, for CNN
4 minute read
Updated 7:44 AM EDT, Fri June 21, 2019
Taking full advantage of the summer solstice, a couple holds hands while watching the sun rise in Tynemouth, a coastal city in northeastern England. Click through the gallery to see more photos of how the longest day of the year sparks romance:
Taking full advantage of the summer solstice, a couple holds hands while watching the sun rise in Tynemouth, a coastal city in northeastern England. Click through the gallery to see more photos of how the longest day of the year sparks romance:
Owen Humphreys/PA Images/Getty Images
In Belarus, people traditionally take the opportunity to celebrate the sun on Ivan Kupala Day by bathing in lakes and letting their free spirits and romantic impulses take over.
The summer of love —
In Belarus, people traditionally take the opportunity to celebrate the sun on Ivan Kupala Day by bathing in lakes and letting their free spirits and romantic impulses take over.
VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images
An archdruid performs a ritual near the cordoned off Stonehenge near Salisbury, England, during summer solstice 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has prevented druids, pagans and partygoers from watching the sun rise at Stonehenge in person for the past two years.
An archdruid performs a ritual near the cordoned off Stonehenge near Salisbury, England, during summer solstice 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has prevented druids, pagans and partygoers from watching the sun rise at Stonehenge in person for the past two years.
Ben Birchall/PA/AP
During the Swedish national holiday of Midsommar, the usually cool, calm and collected Swedes turn to their raucous Viking roots and consume a copious amount of vodka and dance around -- according to some -- a rather phallic-looking Maypole. Perhaps unsurprisingly, research shows a lot of babies are born nine months after the festivities.
Sexy Swedes —
During the Swedish national holiday of Midsommar, the usually cool, calm and collected Swedes turn to their raucous Viking roots and consume a copious amount of vodka and dance around -- according to some -- a rather phallic-looking Maypole. Perhaps unsurprisingly, research shows a lot of babies are born nine months after the festivities.
Carolina Romare/imagebank.sweden.se
During the Greek solstice celebration Klidonas, bachelors across the country try to impress single ladies by building tall fires and jumping over them. According to custom, anyone who jumps the flames three times is rewarded with a good year ahead but more importantly a likely date for the evening.
Romantic flames of Greece —
During the Greek solstice celebration Klidonas, bachelors across the country try to impress single ladies by building tall fires and jumping over them. According to custom, anyone who jumps the flames three times is rewarded with a good year ahead but more importantly a likely date for the evening.
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In Eastern Europe, Ivan Kupala Day has romantic connotations for many Slavs as "kupala" is derived from the same word as "cupid." In Ukraine, it is common for girls to put wreathes on a river to attract eligible bachelors.
Cupid in Uk