The Summer solstice and the Winter solstice

Some people like winter and some like summer and how about you? I personally like the summer because we have long day light and we can enjoy after work time till late.

In Japan,traditionally,we have things to do and things to eat on each the summer solstice day and the winter solstice day.

For summer solstice day,we make baked wheat flour cakes and dedicate to God with appreciation for having a good harvest and some other places they eat octopus to pray for growing rich rice field after this day for autumn harvest time. Since octopus has 8 legs and that means rice of the roots are growing all over like octopus legs.

For the winter solstice, all over Japan, we eat pumpkins, which is considered to be good for avoiding catching a cold in cold winter because pumpkins are rich of vitamin A & carotene. We also take a hot bath with citron, called yuzu on the night.

Do you have such traditions in your country on these days? If you are in Japan either days, please enjoy our culture!!!