They camp out to see the all-night daylight

Farther south, these springtime celebrations of the sun and the growing season would later become the modern-day Easter.

Of course, having 24 hours of daylight comes with drawbacks. Most importantly, it disrupts peoples' sleep schedules. That's why many people who live in these extreme northern areas can be found covering their windows with tinfoil and heavy curtains so they can have at least a simulated night's sleep.

People also sleep less during these bright summer days. One commenter says that in his experience, people sleep about five hours during the summer as opposed to about 10 during the winter.

This photo was taken on June 1, 2007, and shows the lowest the sun gets in the sky over Norway. The sun did not completely set that year until July 21.



Come winter, the opposite will happen: the sun will disappear for about 30 days of complete darkness, along with plenty more of near-total darkness. This is known as the "Noon Moon." The phenomena of the Midnight Sun and the Noon Moon are mostly recorded at the North Pole, as this region has a permanent human population.

So when you're enjoying the long days of summer, remember that somewhere in the world, there's a month-long day happening -- and a month-long night!