Midsommar in Sweden: Dancing as frogs around a maypole… say what?
Midsommar
You may have heard about the holiday of Midsummer that is many Swedes’ favorite one. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
But what is it really about and why should you experience it? Keep reading to find out! And you know what, it happens very soon!
Background
Midsummer is celebrated in the end of June each year and is held in connection to the period of the summer solstice. This means that the day is very long and the sun sets very late, how great after a long dark winter? You may start to see why there is such hype about Midsummer… The celebration predates Christianity, but has also been related to other traditions. In Sweden, there are some very known midsummer celebrations open for the general public, such as in Leksand in Dalarna and in Skansen in Stockholm.
Traditions and events
A usual Midsummer Eve starts before lunch when you meet up with friends or family and start to prepare a Midsummer lunch. The lunch includes many similar dishes as to other Swedish holidays, such as herring, salmon, (newly harvested) potatoes, and eggs. You sing songs, possibly some that you know from traditional Sexas in Uppsala, and you are also welcome to drink some snaps if you like that. A very important feature, popular among the girls, is to have a flower crown in the hair. If looking on Social media on Midsummer, your feed will be full of these pictures and girls wearing beautiful crowns with flowers.
After lunch, you often meet at a location with people from the city or location where you are in. A Maypole is prepared with flowers and green ornaments. There are people playing music, singing and you dance hand in hand around the Maypole. You both dance, and sing at the same time and in some of the songs you would also play some games simultaneously. Even simulate the movement of frogs and how a fox runs over slippery ice. A bit odd but it is a lot of fun… Even for grown-ups and not just for kids.
It is important to eat a cake of strawberries and cream, even though the price of Swedish strawberries reaches its highest price the day of Midsummer (and the lowest on Monday after Midsummer…). What happens after the dancing and singing around the Maypole depends, but you often continue to socialize and later on eat dinner – maybe leftovers from the lunch or perhaps it is time to BBQ. The evening is spent to socialize and it also often includes a late-night swim.
Before it is time to call it a night, there is an old tradition which is very popular among the kids, but why not try it yourself as well. You should remember to pick 7 different flowers in silence and put them under your pillow. What happens then is that you will then dream of your future partner…
Midsummer is a wonderful tradition where you spend a full day, or maybe even a few days with friends and family over food, songs, and events. It is especially nice as it is very light and the sun barely sets. If you spend midsummer in a city, you would see that many people leave the city for the day and it is as empty as it is on Christmas. It is very common to go away to some cabin in the woods. If you can, take the opportunity to celebrate one of Sweden’s best holidays – Midsummer!
Mikaela Åhlén