'Solstice' means 'sun standing still'. At two points in the year the sun seems hardly to rise any higher than the day before, in the summer; or to sink any lower, in the winter.

Here's a place to start: a treasure trove of facts about the solstice.

Because the winter and summer solstices are turning points in the year they've been studied and worshipped since time immemorial. June 21st has been variously known as Alban Heflin, Alben Heruin, All-couples day, the Feast of Epona, the Feast of St. John the Baptist, Feill-Sheathain, Gathering Day, Johannistag, Litha, Midsummer, Sonnwend, Thing-Tide, Vestalia. Here's a place where you can survey the many ways in which the solstice is celebrated around the world.

While the date is particularly celebrated by 'pagans', the wide variety of forms of religious celebration is surveyed here (for a north American audience). But there are also Christian perspectives as well as witches taking fiery solstice holidays.

This isn't just a European and American preoccupation, either. Take a look at this essay (slow to load but worth the wait) about the Tuan Wu festival, a celebration of death and rebirth for more than two millenia among Chinese communities on the day after the summer solstice.

Or find out how to celebrate Yule in Sydney or go earth-chanting in Rainbow Valley in Australia: for celebration of the (Southern Hemisphere) winter solstice goes back beyond recorded time.

Do tell me if you know any links that you think should be added to this page.