Midsummer - an exotic holiday celebration in Sweden
Hi everyone and welcome to another blog post about Sweden and its culture! If you ever read my blog before you will know that I am the founder of LearnSwedishNow, an online Swedish language school based in Chicago, Illinois. And you will also know that I teach both Swedish language and culture, something my customers appreciate since many of them are planning to visit and sometimes even relocate to Sweden. By teaching them about culture, mannerisms and everyday life in Sweden they feel assured that they will fit in and enjoy the experience when they arrive. And speaking of Swedish culture, one of the most popular holidays in Sweden is just around the corner: Midsummer. This holiday is always held on a Friday in the end of June, and this year it falls on the 24th.
Midsummer is a traditional celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. If you ever lived in the northern Scandinavian country of Sweden you will immediately understand why this is such a popular holiday: winters are long, dark and cold, so the longer days and warmer weather in summer is an obvious reason to celebrate. But there is of course more to it than that; midsummer has a long history dating back to pre-christian time in Scandinavia. The origin of the holiday is debated, and the oldest definitive mention of Midsummer celebration is from the 13th century. However, there are some writings on rune stones in Sweden that refer to a celebration that took place in July that appears similar to the modern holiday. Either way, eventually the holiday merged with the christian celebration of Saint John, which is how it is known today.
While there are many traditions surrounding midsummer in Sweden, the midsommarstång (maypole) has a central role during this day. The maypole is a large pole which is elaborately decorated with leaves and flowers. In Sweden the maypole has a horizontal beam with two rings on the ends, which are also decorated with leaves and flowers. Once the pole has been “dressed” (decorated) it is raised into position by a large group of people. And that is when the dancing starts. Yes, I know how it sounds, and it is just as odd and funny as it sounds. Traditional songs are played, and each song has a traditional dance that goes with it. My personal favorite is about small frogs and the fact that they don’t have visible ears; like I said: odd and funny! There is a lot of superstition around midsummer, for example it is thought that you can have a glimpse into the future on this night. If you pick seven types of flowers, in silence, and put them under your pillow, legend has it that you might dream about your future spouse.
If you happen to be in Sweden on Midsummer you will notice that essentially all businesses are closed, and almost all people are busy celebrating. If you read any of my previous blogs about Swedish holidays you will know that pickled herring is a recurring theme when it comes to holiday foods. So also for Midsummer, where pickled herring has a prominent role, but also delicious potatoes from the first harvest of the year, grav-salmon, delicatessen crispbread, aged cheese, meatballs (köttbullar), sausages, and plenty of fresh herbs such as dill. For dessert it is common to eat strawberries in fresh cream and summer-themed cakes as well as pastries. And it wouldn’t be a Swedish holiday without brännvin (vodka, often herb infused), which is consumed after singing traditional Swedish schnapps-songs and loudly exclaiming “skål” (cheers)!
I hope you get a chance to celebrate Midsummer in Sweden one day. If you want to prepare by learning to speak Swedish the right way you should consider taking lessons at LeanSwedishNow. It is easy to get started by signing up for a free trial or consultation below. Happy Midsummer!
