How to Celebrate the Summer Solstice | AMLI Residential

For luxury apartment residents in most parts of the country, the last two months have been marked by beautiful weather and a mood of optimism as each day has grown longer than the last.  While there should be plenty of heat in the months to come, the waxing daylight is about to culminate in the longest day of the year.  Are you doing anything to celebrate this gift of sunlight that has enabled you to enjoy at least a couple of hours of daylight at workday’s end for the past two months?  If you don’t already have plans, consider throwing a spontaneous summer solstice celebration in your apartment with these helpful tips.

Choose a Setting

Decide where you will host the gathering.  If you are lucky enough to have a sunset view apartment with a balcony, then your home may be the perfect place.  Otherwise, consider using your apartment community’s lawn, if that is an option, or celebrating at a park or nature reserve.  Since the purpose of the get-together is to appreciate the sunlight, it is best to celebrate outside or at least from somewhere with a view of the setting sun.

Invite Friends

Draft a short guest list, and create a clever e-vite.  If you do not have the time, you can just text or phone your friends.  Stress that the event is casual, that no preparation is necessary, and that they don’t have to bring anything unless you have decided on a theme or activity, such as a brief session of outdoor yoga or a costume contest.  Since the summer solstice falls on a Friday night this year, consider making plans to go to a restaurant or bar for dinner and drinks afterward.

Procure Provisions

This is an impromptu apartment gathering.  There is no reason to prepare fancy hor d’oeuvres or spend half a day decorating.  Still, you are entertaining.  At the very least, you will need some snacks and beverages.  Cheese and crackers can suffice; but if you want to get creative, look to the far north for inspiration.  All that really needs to be on the buffet table to demonstrate that the celebration is Scandinavian-inspired is seafood and berries.  Drinks should be iced or chilled, refreshing, and healthy (again: think berries).  Berry spritzers and homemade lemonade are great choices.  Beer with lemon is another good option. Champagne can also be popped at the minute the sun goes down.  Decorate with candles and fresh produce, and consider incorporating natural green colors into your party’s decor to symbolize the life that the sun generates and sustains.

Honor the Sun

If you want to do more to honor the sun during your gathering, consider leading guests in a few yogic sun salutations.  Make sure that you are outside to watch the sunset, and savor every last second of twilight on this special day, the longest you will experience for an entire year.

If you don’t feel like having a party at your luxury apartment but want to do something to celebrate the summer solstice, look for special events in your area.  Botanical gardens, conservatories, observatories, zoos, and other venues often hold June 21st events that are open to the public.  Whatever you do to celebrate tomorrow, make sure that you take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is all around you, all of which would not be here if it weren’t for the sun.  Live Life + Love Life.  AMLI.