When summer begins the gaze turns outward: to journeys, ventures and the success of the season. Snorri calls the third great blót of the year the victory blót – for the success of the voyages now beginning.
When Sigrblót Falls
The calendrical start of summer is Sumardagurinn fyrsti, the „first day of summer" – the first Thursday after 18 April (that is, between 19 and 25 April), still a holiday in Iceland. An older strand placed the summer blót on the first full moon after the spring equinox.
What the Sources Say
Snorri sums up the ring of feasts in three blóts (Ynglinga saga 8): toward winter „for a good year", at midwinter „for growth", and „it þriðja at sumri, þat var sigrblót" – the third toward summer, and that was the victory blót. It stood at the head of the bright half of the year, the season of sea- and trading-voyages, assemblies and – where needed – war. „Victory" means first the success of one’s ventures, not merely triumph in battle.
The Meaning of the Feast
Sumarmál, the „summer mark", is a threshold feast: one closes the dark half and steps into the active one. It is the moment to make plans and wish oneself success – the setting-out, not the arrival.
Celebrating Today
The setting-out: plan the year’s ventures and journeys, raise the cup to success and courage, and over the pledge-horn name a goal you mean to carry through. A fire opens the light half of the year.
A verse for the feast
the sails fill out,
we drink to the
good succeeding.
Not victory in strife –
victory over self:
who sets out
has half already won.
And now you: write your own short verse for this feast – four or five lines are enough, it need not rhyme. Recite it next time by the fire or at the sumbel. That is the finest honour one can pay a feast.
Sources
Snorri Sturluson, Ynglinga saga 8 (sigrblót, public domain); Old Icelandic calendar (Sumardagurinn fyrsti).