FAO Schwarz Magic Kit The FAO Schwarz Magic Kit is a popular and highly regarded magic set that offers users the opportunity to learn and perform a variety of impressive magic tricks. This magic set is perfect for beginners and professional magicians alike, as it provides a wide range of tricks and illusions to master. With the FAO Schwarz Magic Kit, individuals can learn classic tricks such as disappearing acts, card tricks, and levitation. One of the key highlights of the FAO Schwarz Magic Kit is its high-quality props and materials. Each kit comes with a collection of props, including cards, coins, cups, and wands, all of which are made with durable and long-lasting materials. These props are designed to withstand repeated use, ensuring that users can enjoy their magic set for years to come.
Names of the Summer Solstice
Oh Summer Solstice! I love you as Midsummer! I also sometimes call you Litha, and can sort of appreciate you as the Feast of St. John the Baptist, but why do you have so many names? And the middle of Summer is early August, not June! You aren’t quite a vexing holiday, but I can see why you might be confusing to some people.
The other day one of my friends asked “Why is Midsummer called Midsummer?” I had an answer all lined up for her, but it was my wife’s birthday, and the World Cup was on. I’ve got priorities. Most of us probably acknowledge the Summer Solstice as the first day of Summer, but that’s not always been the case, which is how the first day of Summer came to be known as Midsummer.
A lot of early calendars (such as the Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon) only had two seasons in them-Summer and Winter. When Midsummer (and Midwinter) are looked at from that perspective they live up to their names. If the two seasons of Summer and Winter begin on the equinoxes then the solstices are true midway points.
There’s also another way to look at Midsummer and that’s by beginning the seasons at the Cross-Quarter holidays. If Imbolc is the start of Spring then Beltane is the start of Summer and Lughnassa is the start of Autumn. That puts the Summer Solstice back in the cross-hairs of being “Midsummer.”
People have never really let celestial events completely define the seasons to begin with. The agricultural cycle of a particular area determines “Summer” and “Winter” to some extent, as does culture. In some ways “Summer” stars when school lets out and “Fall” begins when kids have to go back. That’s how it worked for me growing up. American Civil Religion has turned the Fourth of July into a Patriotic Midsummer Holiday, and fire in the sky (fireworks) isn’t all that different from fire in the fields.
Only in the last five or so years have I consistently referred to the Summer Solstice as Midsummer. Before that I used the Modern Pagan alternative title of Litha. The word Litha comes to us from the English historian Bede writing in the early 700’s. In Bede Litha isn’t the name of a particular holiday it’s the name of an Anglo-Saxon month of double-length roughly matching up to the modern months of June and July. According to Bede the word litha means: “gentle or navigable, because in both those months the calm breezes are gentle and they were wont to sail upon the smooth sea.” Because the old Anglo-Saxon calendar was lunar and not solar it was sometimes necessary to extend Litha into a third month, in such cases Litha became Trilithi.
Why do we use the word Litha in some Modern Pagan traditions? Well some people use it because it simply sounds more Pagan; for those attempting to recreate Anglo-Saxon traditions it’s certainly more Germanic than Midsummer. I’m not exactly sure, but if I had to credit any one particular group for introducing the word Litha into Contemporary Paganism I’d say it’s most likely The New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn (NROOGD) and Aidan Kelly*. Kelly is responsible for (or guilty of) most of the cool Pagan sounding name at the equinoxes and solstices, especially Mabon.
There’s another source for Litha that may have inspired Kelly and others and that’s J.R.R. Tolkien. Yes, that Tolkien, the guy who wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The Hobbits of the Shire celebrated Lithe as their Midsummer holiday. Between Lithe were the two months of Forelithe (June) and Afterlithe (July). Tolkien was inspired by Bede, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find a few Pagans out there inspired by Tolkien.
For a solid millennia (and most likely longer) Christians continued to celebrate the Summer Solstice after converting the majority of the pagans. They did this by moving most Midsummer traditions into the celebration of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Popping up as an official feast day on the Christian calendar 500 years after the death of Jesus (and John the Baptist) the holiday has always been a clever ploy to give the pagans something to do around the solstice.
St. John’s Feast Day is customarily celebrated on June 24 so it’s a couple days after the solstice (and depending on how messed up a calendar was during any particular era sometimes longer than just a few days), but that’s of little consequence. Most of our holiday traditions over the centuries have been shuffled around a little bit, what’s a few days? Bonfires, sacred smoke, and magical operations became a part of St. John’s Feast, with St. John’s Eve being just as important to many revelers and cunning-folk. St. John’s Feast Day is also regularly called Midsummer and was another holiday the Christians just couldn’t shake the pagan out of.
Whatever you celebrate and however you celebrate it, I hope your Midsummer is great!
*That hunch is backed up in this article, which I found while re-reading John Halstead’s Mabon, Mabon Not.
The Sabbats: The Pagan Wheel of the Year
The Pagan Wheel of the Year is marked by eight Sabbats, spaced approximately every six weeks. Four of these Sabbats are marked by the solar calendar, either by a solstice or an equinox.
Solstice is the time twice yearly when the Sun reaches its maximum or minimum declination, marked by the longest and shortest days. Conversely, the equinox occurs twice annually when the Sun crosses the equator, and day and night are everywhere on earth of approximately equal length.
Cross-quarters make up the other four Sabbats, marking the middle of each season.
History of Midsummer, Litha, and The Summer Solstice
Summer Solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year when the Sun is at its highest point in the sky. It marks the last day before the Sun diminishes to its lowest point at Yule. The word solstice comes from the Latin word solstitium, which translates to "sun stands still." Litha is the Sabbat that celebrates the Summer Solstice.
Litha is all about the element of fire. Ancient Pagans believed this time was when the sun god was at his most potent. In some traditions, Litha is the battle between the Oak King and the Holly King. The Oak King was said to win until they battled again in six months at Yule, when the Holly King would be triumphant. Early Europeans used to set large wheels on fire and roll them down a hill into a body of water, representing the balance of fire and water.
The ancient Romans celebrated the summer solstice as a festival for Juno, the goddess of women and childbirth. June was named for Juno and remained a popular month for weddings and handfasting.
Midsummer celebrations started around 8700 B.C. Midsummer began as a pagan ritual for fertility and a successful harvest during the Stone Age. The pagans believed plants had healing properties during the summer solstice and honored the day by showing reverence to nature with rituals.
In the fourth century, Christians renamed the holiday for St. John the Baptist called St. John's Day. Despite the name change, some of the customs from Midsummer remained.
In the fifth century, Germany and Sweden had their own Midsummer rituals. Germanic neopagans called their summer solstice festival Litha. In their traditions, the Maypole was decorated with leaves and raised on May 1, where the name comes from. Because of the difficulties finding green leaves during that time, the holiday was moved to Midsummer.
Magickal Correspondance of Summer Solstice
Element: Fire
Planet & Stars: Sun
Deities: Sun Gods & Oak King
Magick: Love & Marriage
Colors: Red, Orange, Gold
Flowers: Roses, Sunflowers
Litha History - Celebrating the Summer Solstice
Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal.
Updated on April 03, 2019These props are designed to withstand repeated use, ensuring that users can enjoy their magic set for years to come. Furthermore, the FAO Schwarz Magic Kit includes a detailed instruction booklet that guides users through each trick and illusion. The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, making it simple for beginners to learn and perform the tricks successfully.
An Ancient Solar Celebration
Nearly every agricultural society has marked the high point of summer in some way, shape or form. On this date–usually around June 21 or 22 (or December 21/22 in the southern hemisphere)–the sun reaches its zenith in the sky. It is the longest day of the year, and the point at which the sun seems to just hang there without moving – in fact, the word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.” The travels of the sun were marked and recorded. Stone circles such as Stonehenge were oriented to highlight the rising of the sun on the day of the summer solstice.
Did You Know?
- Early European traditions celebrated midsummer by setting large wheels on fire and then rolling them down a hill into a body of water.
- The Romans honored this time as sacred to Juno, the wife of Jupiter and goddess of women and childbirth; her name gives us the month of June.
- The word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.”
The instruction booklet also offers helpful tips and techniques to enhance the performance and presentation of each trick. Another notable feature of the FAO Schwarz Magic Kit is its versatility. The set contains a variety of tricks that cater to different skill levels and interests. Whether you are looking to perform close-up magic or stage illusions, this magic set has something for everyone. The FAO Schwarz Magic Kit allows individuals to expand their repertoire and showcase their magical abilities in various settings. In summary, the FAO Schwarz Magic Kit is a comprehensive and well-designed magic set that offers users the opportunity to learn and perform a wide range of impressive tricks and illusions. With its high-quality props, detailed instruction booklet, and versatile tricks, this magic set is ideal for both beginners and experienced magicians. Whether you are looking to entertain friends and family or pursue a career in magic, the FAO Schwarz Magic Kit is a fantastic choice..
Reviews for "Unlock Your Inner Magician with the F a o schwarzs Magic Kit"
1. Mary - 1/5 stars - This magic kit was a total disappointment. The tricks inside were incredibly basic and uninspiring. I was expecting to learn some mind-blowing illusions, but instead, I got cheaply made props and poorly written instructions. The tricks didn't even fool my 4-year-old niece. Save your money and invest in a better quality magic kit.
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4. Robert - 1/5 stars - This magic kit was a total waste of money. The tricks were outdated and unoriginal. The props were flimsy and broke easily, leaving me frustrated and disappointed. The instructions provided were vague and poorly written, making it impossible to understand how to perform the tricks correctly. I wouldn't recommend this kit to anyone wanting to learn magic.