Midsummer Celebration in Sweden
Happy Midsummer from Sweden
Glad Midsommar!
Midsummer is one of the most awaited and joyful holidays of the year held on the Friday between June 19–25. This day takes place the longest day of the year where the sun doesn’t set. Midsummer celebration is all about light, nature, and spending time with family, friends and neighbours.
On this friday (Midsummer Eve) women and children start the day by picking wild flowers to make their own flower crowns (Midsommarkransar) to wear them whole the day.
Swedes believe that nature has special powers especially on midsummer. There is a belief that unmarried girls can dream about their future love if they pick 7 different types of wild flowers without speaking and keep them under the pillow and sleep on Midsummer night.
On this day, with flower crowns on their head, people gather to raise the decorated Maypole (midsommarstången) and dance to folk music while singing songs including the famous one ”Små grodorna – The little frogs”.
Like every Swedish festival, Midsummer centers around food and drinks. The tables are full with classic summer feast including pickled herring, crispbread, butter, cheese, fresh potatoes, meatballs, strawberries and whipped cream or classic strawberry cake (Jordgubbstårta) and a few rounds of snaps with singing.
If you visit Sweden during Summer, don’t miss the chance to enjoy this beauty of Swedish summer, nature, and the traditional celebration.