10 Joyful Things About June

After the marvelousness of May, jubilant June arrives in all its own joy.

With the finishing up of school, the start of summer, and all the excitement in between, this month truly presents us with so many joy moments.

Here are 10 joyful things about June to me!

#1: That “Last Day of School” Feeling

Is there a greater feeling than it being the last day of school?

During the day, the students, teachers, staff and the school itself feel alive with energy.

Then, that last bell rings—and all of a sudden—as the great Alice Cooper sings, “school’s out forever”!

I remember as a teen going to one of my best friends’ house on the last day of school for a bonfire that evening.

As her dad was helping us to get the bonfire all started, he told us, “Savor this feeling and excitement. That “last day of school” feeling is a great one.”

Oh how true, he was!

Whether is your last day of pre-K, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, grad school, post-grad or you are a teacher/professor (or graduating from any!), there is certainly a wonderful joy in the air on that last day of the school year. A feeling of all the excitement ahead!

Even if you are not in school at the moment, I feel like there are always opportunities to tap into that feeling of joy of the last day of school. Whether that is just thinking and remembering your last days of school, listening and dancing around to Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out”, or taking time to simply celebrate the upcoming summertime ahead, maybe we can all align with that inner child within us and get excited for all the wonderful times ahead of us!

#2: The Long Days

One of the things I love most about the month of June is just how much daylight we get.

The mornings are filled with light early and it lasts all the way until late in the evening. Where I grew up in the Midwest, it often meant light from 5am until 9pm or so!

The amount of daylight varies based on where are geographically—with areas closer to the Arctic pole getting more daylight closer to Summer Solstice.

I always thought it was crazy growing up that there were places where it was daylight for pretty much the whole day around the solstice! This is called the Midnight Sun and you see it in areas very close to the poles– such as Scandinavian countries.

Truly, after the short days of winter, it is such a welcomed sight to get to be outside early and late soaking up all the joy of June!

#3: Summer Bonfires

Summer bonfires are up there on my list as a favorite part of summertime.

There’s something about being outside in the fresh air, sitting around the fire, and chatting with people or thinking about things to yourself. Plus, there is something so magical about the smell of a bonfire. It all just encapsulates the joy of summer to me!

Why not gather a group, or just savor your own company, and sit around a bonfire!

#4:The Peonies

A favorite of my sister-in-law, peonies making their debut in June is always so welcomed!

The book, Peonies by Jane Eastoe, says that peony flowers were first cultivated in China back around 2,000 years ago (at least!).

However, it takes its name from Greek mythology. According to the myth, the flower got its name from Paeon. A physician for the Olympian gods, Paeon would use the peony in his treatments. When jealousy caused Paeon to get killed, he was turned into a peony by another god. Jane Eastoe goes on to say the Chinese utilized the peony for the medicinal properties found in its roots and seeds, and the news of this caused the flower to gain awareness globally!

I always associated peonies with Father’s Day because growing up, we would do breakfast-in-bed for my mom and dad. Part of that breakfast-in-bed tray included some fresh-picked flowers. For Mother’s Day, it usually was a bunch of lilacs (my absolute favorite flower!). For Father’s Day, it was peonies.

As I wrote about in my post on flower symbolism and joy, during the Victorian era, flower symbolism became increasingly popular. Each flower, according to flower symbolism, has different meanings it represents. The book, The Complete Language of Flowers, says the peony has many different (+contradictory!) meanings, but some of the better ones are compassion, healing, life, and prosperity! What a joy to incorporate this flower this month! If you love peonies, you can join the The American Peony Society

#5: Father’s Day

Mid-June always brings Father’s Day around—or as my dad says, “the best day of the year”!

Similar to what I wrote on Mother’s Day in my post on joyful things about May, Father’s Day—I believe—gives us a wonderful chance to celebrate all the people who have acted as a father figures in our lives.

At some point in life, there has been someone who served as a father figure for you. Whether it was feeling supported and reassured about something, feeling encouraged, or just someone who provided a sense of stability when you might have felt all over the place, Father’s Day provides us with a wonderful opportunity to thank these people (whether that be in person or in our heads or from a distance!) for being there for us when we needed them.

Let us use this day to celebrate those people who helped to make your life better and a little more joyful!

#6: Strawberries

Strawberries have such a wonderful flavor, and when you get to eat strawberries (fresh or from the store during this time of the year), you really can taste the difference from eating strawberries that aren’t in season in other parts of the year!

Growing up, we always went strawberry picking during the month of June, so I always associate this month with strawberry picking! It was always such a joy to go, fill up our containers, and then get to go home and eat the delicious, juicy, fresh strawberries!

If you love strawberries too, consider honoring this season by going strawberry picking, eating recipes with strawberries, or simply just savoring the best of store-bought strawberries this month!

#7:Summer Solstice

There’s something purely magical about Summer Solstice, I feel.

Being the longest day of the whole year, it serves as a wonderful reminder of how light will always triumph over dark. Its counterpart—Winter Solistice— is the shortest day of the year and honors doing the work to heal your dark side (we all have darkness and light within us!). I talked more about Winter Solistice in my post on 10 joyful things for the month of December.

Falling on the 20th, 21st or 22nd of June, Summer Solstice is when we- in the Northern Hemisphere- experience the day with the most daylight/daytime.

HISTORY.com says Summer Solstice has been celebrated since the ancient civilizations’ times, with groups like the Greeks, Chinese, European pagans, and Native Americans all having their own versions to celebrate this longest day of the year. Several ancient civilizations have also built structures tied closely with the Summer Solstice!

In terms of symbolism, Rhythms of Play says,

This day truly is such a wonderful reminder of the joyful light within each and every one of us!

#8: Midsummer

This is another, “new-to-me” holiday that I believe we need to celebrate more!

According to, Mrs. Sharp’s Traditions by Sarah Ban Breathnach, Midsummer may be celebrated on Summer Solistice, but it can also be honored on its official day of June 24th! It coincides with St. John the Baptist’s feast. Midsummer Eve is also often celebrated!

Ban Breathnach writes that the legend has it that Midsummer is the only time fairies are visible to the human eye! Plus, those fairies expect a party in which the fairies will often leave gifts for the humans hosting them.

Midsummer seems to be a wonderful time to remember the joy and wonder of summertime!

According to Almanac.com,

Midsummer, the Alamanac writes, is especially a popular holiday for Northern Europeans—particularly the Swedes. This holiday is second to Christmas in Sweden!

#9: Roses

Roses seem as connected to June as pumpkins are to October, don’t they?

Simple and elegant are the two words that come to my mind whenever I see and get to smell a rose!

The book, Vintage Roses (also by Jane Eastoe), writes that the rose’s origins are most likely in China, and—amazingly— roses were around before human beings. 56 to 33.9 million years ago even.

The ancient Romans in particular had a love for this flower, having about 2,000 rose gardens and utilizing the rose in garlands, wreaths, lotions, and potions.

The rose has had its place in history being the symbol for many like the Lancastrians and Yorkists in England, the Lutherans and the Rosicrucians.

In terms of flower symbolism, The Complete Language of Flowers states the rose’s general meanings include: love, magic, and equilibrium. However, the specific color of a rose has its own meanings, too. This includes: coral roses symbolizing happiness, dark pink roses meaning “thank you”, and pink roses meaning “everlasting joy” and gratitude! Paired together roses also have their own symbolism.

If you love roses, consider joining the American Rose Society!

#10: Fireflies

Another symbol of summer, fireflies.

How cool is it to look out one evening, and see the night decorated with little lights of fireflies?

Wonder-full and awe-full, I think, whenever I see fireflies during the summer!

I found this little funny poem written by Robert Frost titled “Fireflies in the Garden”:

Fireflies really are such a fun and joyful sight to see in June/summertime!

• Birthflower: Rose and Honeysuckle
• Birthstone: Pearl, Moonstone and Alexandrite
• Full Moon: Strawberry Moon
• June Color Palette
• Nail polish: Sugar Puff
• Music: Mellow Classics
• Quotes About Summer
• Eat Seasonally: June

Comment below: What’s joyful about June to you?