Midsommar - Swedish Midsummer Celebration

 Most of the European countries have their traditions of summer solstice celebration. For example, in Ukraine, we celebrate Ivana Kupala night: girls make wreaths, people dance around big bonfires, and as the legend says, magic may happen when someone( the luckiest one) finds a fern flower. Swedes have Midsummer (Swedish: Midsommar. I studied this topic, and this is my second celebration in Sweden, so I can tell you more about this beautiful fest, traditional food, songs, and dances. 

People celebrating Midsommar in Malmö, June 2023

What is Midsommar?

Midsommar is one of the most popular holidays in Sweden, which can compete only with Christmas, but certainly, it is much more "Swedish" than any other holiday. This celebration is connected to the summer solstice and St John's Day, and it usually takes place on Friday between 19 and 25 June, so people also have Saturday and Sunday as a long weekend to celebrate.

The summer solstice has been culturally important since ancient times and after the arrival of Christianity in Scandinavia. Since astronomically it happens on the 21st of June, we don't call it the middle of the summer today, but considering the "summer" season (the beginning of fieldwork) in Northern Europe starts on May Day on the 1st of May, the end of June is the middle of that period. I wrote previously about the Valborg celebration that marks the beginning of warm weather in Sweden.

While more people moved to cities from villages during the XIX century, they brought the tradition of the Midsommar celebration with them, and it became the holiday as we know it today.

The traditional symbol of the Midsommar is the maypole (Swedish: midsommarstång), a wooden pole decorated with green leaves and flowers. This is a traditional Swedish symbol on many postcards and souvenirs.

Waiting for the beginning of the Midsommar celebration

Midsommar Celebrations and Traditions

Today, every city or village has its Midsommar celebration on Midsommarafton - Midsummer Eve. This year we attended the event organized by Malmö municipality in a beautiful Bulltofta park.

First, there was decorating of the Midsommarstång, and many people brought flowers for it. Children, especially girls, are excited about this activity. Then the celebration began with raising the Midsommarstång and the Swedish flag near it.

The celebration was accompanied by guitar music and traditional Midsommar songs, such as children's favorite "Små grodorna" (English: Little frogs). People danced around the Midsommarstång, jumped like a frog, and had fun. Women and girls wear flower dresses and wreaths made of fresh or artificial flowers - beautiful, stylish, and very summer outfits.

It is believed that flowers picked up on Midsommar Eve have magical power: if you find seven different wildflowers and put them under a pillow, you will dream of the future, and young ladies may see their future husbands. There are also additional conditions of this tradition: keeping silent while picking up the flowers and jumping over the seven fences on the way back home is necessary. I found this very exciting, but I was afraid to know the future in the times we live in...

And the most important on Midsommar is to meet your friends and family, go to a summer house if you are lucky enough to have one, or to a picnic in a park, where you can enjoy traditional Midsommar food, drink snaps, sing songs, play outdoor games, and swim in a lake. Since the Swedes used to plan ahead, strawberries and alcohol are sold out on days before Midsommar weekend. So don't forget to visit the liquor store! 😉

Children are decorating the Midsommarstång with flowers and greenery

Adults and children are carrying the midsommarstång.

Little girl with a flower wreath.

Women in flower dresses and wreaths are dancing near the Midsommarstång.

All girls wear flowers!🌺

Traditional Swedish Midsommar Food

• Strawberries! Fresh and sweet Swedish strawberries are a must-have! It is strawberry season there in the second half of June, which is a little bit later than in southern European countries, but it is worth waiting 😋 Since the days are longer there, berries get more sun, which makes them sweeter. As a holiday meal, swedes eat strawberries with cream or make the cake with whipped cream frosting and strawberries - the festive table showstopper. This year I combined the traditions and baked our Ukrainian cottage-cheese cake decorated with whipped cream and Swedish strawberries on top.
• Swedish pickled herring. As you may know, swedes prefer sweeter marinade recipes than other countries (Ukrainian and Polish versions contain less sugar and taste more savory). A long time ago, when most people couldn't afford to eat sugar every day, pickled herring was a festive meal served on big holidays such as Christmas and Midsommar, as it continues today. I've chosen Polish herring this year and added onion and parsley, as we used to eat in Ukraine. Swedes usually serve pickled herring with sour cream and greenery.
• New potatoes. Small boiled or baked potatoes are also a tribute to summer - the season of new potatoes. In Ukraine, we eat it in May, but the season begins later here in Scandinavia.
• Eggs and caviar- the ultimate symbols of fertility on a traditional festive table. But at the same time, the delicious delicacy every child and adult loves.

My Midsommar Saturday breakfast: cheesecake with whipped cream and Swedish strawberries.

Picnic food: baked potatoes, pickled herring, eggs with caviar, and parsley.

Midsommar picnic by the lake.

Hope you have discovered something new and exciting that will inspire you to celebrate the summer with love and creativity and bring you joy and happiness. Glad Midsommar!💛

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