Summer is officially upon us! It’s time to grab your favorite swimming suit and hit the pool or maybe even just catch up on your reading list. No matter how you enjoy summer, you may want to do something special in order to welcome it into the year. Many ancient cultures practiced these celebrations often, which they felt brought them good luck. This doesn’t mean you have to do expensive tasks to show how excited you are. There’s lots of smaller things you can enjoy to help make welcoming in the summer solstice fantastic.

1. Donate Summer Clothes
Most people tend to hold on to clothes that they don’t wear anymore. This can become a habit that often leads to a lot of build up in the closet and storage areas. Often enough, the clothes we hang onto don’t even fit us anymore or they went out of style years ago. Instead of hoarding your summer essentials, you may want to go through them. Make a pile of clothes that don’t fit or that you can’t see yourself wearing. Then, cut the ties you have with the items and donate them so someone else can afford to keep their summer wardrobe up. You will feel amazing after doing this and you’ll be helping someone else out. This is a great way to feel the glow of summer while going into the hot summer months. Plus, you can do a little shopping to make up for your missing clothes.

2. Think of Strays
Animal lovers will hold a special place in their heart for this great way of welcoming summer into the year. There are lots of strays walking the streets everyday who often don’t have access to the things they need to get through the heat waves. One of the best things you can do is put out a fresh bowl of water each day, so that animals can hydrate as they try to hunt and find shelter. You should never put out food though as stray pets will begin to see your home as their own, which could lead to a problem. If you want to go the extra mile then make a special place that is shaded for pets. This will allow them to seek shelter when sidewalks and streets are too hot. It is also a great way to help them seek shelter when there is a storm. It doesn’t have to be much though. Try a cardboard box with a blanket or even an old cage your own pet is no longer using.

3. See a Blockbuster
If there is one thing that truly says summer, it is the amount of movies hitting the theater. Trailers for these movie come on in the winter time, so people are on the edge of their seat while waiting for their favorites to come out. You can catch everything from superhero flicks to adorable kid movies, which makes it a perfect outing for just about anyone. Going to the movies is a great way to kill some of the spare time you have in the summer too. Often enough, movies now can even take hours off of your hand. Not to mention, the theater offers great air conditioning to help cool you down.

4. Create Cold Desserts
Dessert is one of the best things about eating; however, in the summer it isn’t always nice to think about baking or eating heavy and rich foods. There is a great alternative though. That is, cold desserts, which come in all shapes and sizes. One of the most popular on the list is ice cream. With an ice cream or yoghurt maker, you enjoy all sorts of flavors. Of course, there are also cheaper ways to make this treat at home. Simply look up some tutorials and you’ll be well on your way to a delicious snack. Another option is the infamous smoothie. These can be made to suit your health needs or for a sugary boost that tastes delicious. You can even make your favorite creamy or juicy popsicles using the simplest of ingredients. Use the summer months to try out your favorite flavors.

5. Enjoy the Water
One of the best parts of summer is actually getting to cool down in a nice pool of water. Going to the swimming pool can be one of the most efficient ways to celebrate the summer solstice. There, you can cool down, enjoy what summer has to offer and maybe even meet some new friends. Of course, you also have natural options to choose from too. Going to the beach, lake or river can be just as much fun and allows you to celebrate the beauty that nature has to offer. Of course, you can also fish while you’re at these destinations, which might allow you to whip up a great natural dinner to welcome in the summer months. Of course, the important thing is to enjoy yourself. You should make sure to protect your skin while doing this activity as well, as you don’t want to suffer a sunburn during the first week of the season.

6. Eat Seasonal
When it comes to food, summer is one of the best times to eat. There is so much produce in season that it will be hard to plan meals without overdoing the menu. Of course, seasonal foods also mean that you won’t have to spend a small fortune on your grocery bill when you do buy fresh fruits and vegetables. This is a great way to help the whole family stay healthy and maintain a healthy weight. One of the key elements to eating seasonal is knowing what you can buy. These items usually include watermelon, corn, squash and so much more. You may even have good luck shopping at your local farmer’s market as the abundance of food should help cut prices.

7. Make Flower Crowns
If you want to go a little traditional when it comes to welcoming the summer solstice, then you might want to consider making flower crowns. These are generally very easy to make and won’t cost you a fortune either. Most children will love the idea too, which will help keep them occupied for a little while. There are lots of different ways to go about making a floral crown. You can pick flowers from outside, make your own from paper or even use artificial flowers. The crown can be made of recycled materials too, which makes this an exciting project for such a natural celebration. When the crowns are made, try to do a dance to welcome in summer. You can make up your own, or look online to see traditional summer solstice dances.

8. Stargaze
Without a doubt, summer is one of the best times to stargaze. This month usually means hot temperatures during the day, but mild temperatures at night. Thus, you should be able to find the perfect time to lay out under the stars without forcing yourself to wear layers or pack a portable air conditioner. If you head outside of your city or town, you should be privy to a lot of different stars during this season. You may even want to download a guide to help you find the various constellations that you’ve been longing to see. If you have a telescope then now is certainly the time to use it as you will soon be able to see lots of astronomical events.

9. Read Outside
The lazy days of summer are often the perfect time to make your reading list disappear. Of course, before the summer heat gets too unbearable you might want to find a spot to hang out and read a book for a few hours. This can be a lot of fun and will allow you to finally clear your head for a little while. Even as the summer heat begins to escalate, you can still find a place to read outdoors. You might want to grab a spot under a tree or set up your own little reading nook in the yard or on the porch. Make sure to stay hydrated though!

10. Host a Bonfire
One of the best things about summer is all of the bonfires that happen. This is a great time to get together with friends and family to catch up as you enjoy your free time and the nice weather. You don’t need a whole lot to host a bonfire either. All you need is some old wood, something to start the fire and a safe place to host. If you want to invite a lot of people then ask them to show up with some food and drinks. You can easily get away with cheaper foods like smores and hot dogs, which can be cooked right over the fire. Some people may even want to bring instruments to add even more flavor to your awesome party.

The summer solstice is a great time to celebrate life and those that you love. These ten examples are sure to help you start your summer off with a bang. Perhaps, by welcoming the summer solstice in during the first week, you will have one of the bests summer to date.