This ritual comes from
The Pagan Family by Ceisiwr Serith
For this ritual, the barbecue
will substitute the bonfire.
Pour the charcoal into the barbecue and soak it with lighter
fluid. Put the grate on and
on top of it a pot of water (you can use the same pot you used for May
Day, but be careful of plastic handles.
They can melt).
Nearby put the lighter fluid, the matches, and an aspergill.
When everything is ready and
everybody around the barbecue, establish sacred time.
Then the father (or the oldest male present) says:
“Today the wheel has come
to a special point.
Since Yule the light has been growing.
At Ostara the light became greater than the dark
and it kept on growing.
It has grown until today:Midsummers,
The middle of the light time.
Tomorrow the light will start to fade
as the wheel turns to darkness
until it is Yule again.
But today it is bright
Today the sun is high
Today the world is warm and bright
and we celebrate this with fire.
The Lord Sun blazes above
Our fire blazes below.”
He lights the fire (with one more squirt of lighter fluid first.) When the flames have died down a bit, everyone can take an aspergill, dip it in the water, and sprinkle everyone else with it. Then take the pot off and, after it cools, water your garden or a tree with it. While waiting for the coals to be ready, a water fight would be a good idea. Then barbecue.