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OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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Posted by
mariannese (
My Page) on
Thu, Jun 21, 12 at 17:54
| Today is the day of the Summer Solstice, the occasion of the second most important day of the year in Sweden, after Christmas. The holiday has been moved to the nearest Friday so tomorrow is one of the days that has to be fun for all and a total success, much like New Year's Eve in other countries. It is a day of desperate search for perfection. The weather is of course very important because one has to be outdoors, preferably near the sea or a lake. Food is important too and very traditional, much like Christmas when Swedes (and Finns) eat the same food as their forebears. Everybody eats pickled herring and new potatoes, cured salmon, varous salads and strawberries. Not together. My husband and I had been looking forward to a day spent quietly together, listening to our neighbours rioting, Our daughter had planned to go on a cruise to Finland with her children to escape the pressure. Then her friend from Stockholm phoned to ask if she could come with her children, 18, 15 and 1 to our house and garden for Midsummer. So I have spent the day preparing lunch in the garden for 10 people. I don't mind at all, I know my daughter's friend and her children and I am rather touched that they should want to come here. But I shall have to try to live up to their expectations. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| Thank you Mariannese for posting this. I didn't know anything about Summer Solstice celebrations in Sweden and northern Europe - didn't even know it was at all important. I hope it has all gone well for you and has lived up to your great expectations. Here, in UK, it has just rained..... I won't say more about that. |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| What's the traditional greeting? Happy Solstice? How wonderful that you have a holiday tied to an actual earth centered event! Seriously, never until I began to garden in earnest did I begin to appreciate seasons and day lengths, etc. I love learning about this, Mariannese. Thanks for posting. |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| What a wonderful holiday! I wish we celebrated it here. Rosefolly |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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Mariannese, I hope you have a lovely weekend and that your daughter's friends appreciate all you will be doing for them, I don't know how many (if any) people in the UK would be willing to change their plans so readily.
Over here a few hardy souls spent midsummer night at Stonehenge seemingly not bothered by the non-appearance of the sun.
We used to visit the Shetland Islands whose people have a Nordic, not Scottish, heritage where they celebrate the simmer dim.
This is the start of the pop-concert season and the early radio news progs. were interviewing an unfortunate woman with her several teenage children who had reached the Isle of Wight (off Southampton) but were unable to get into the 'venue'; a knee-deep-in-mud field. All the traffic was grid-locked so they couldn't even get back to the ferry terminal.
Paddle-on Glastonbury. :-) |
Here is a link that might be useful: Isle of Wight Festival
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| Thanks for posting this! I have a fond memory of visiting Bergen, Norway, on the Midsummer Solstice. We climbed up a mountain in the evening. All night long, people were walking about the streets in a festive mood, as the sun had not set. A very happy celebration I will never forget. |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| I had very little expectations, only hoped to please those who had expectations. I am far too old for the great Midsummer trauma. Today's paper had 15 interviews asking people where and how they were going to celebrate Midsummer. I think the winner may have been she who was going to a 3-day wedding in Saint Tropez, the loser was probably one poor man who was going to watch the European Championship football game between Germany and Greece tonight but he had a good excuse. My husband is watching and cheering as I write. We can do as we please. It went very well and I think everybody was satisfied with the early part of this Midsummer celebration, even the 15-year-old boys, always difficult to please. The strawberry and cream layer cake decorated by the girls is on Facebook! The weather has been fabulous, almost too hot at times. We had to put out the baby pool for the toddlers, 2 and 3 years old. My guests went swimming in the lake after the very long lunch and then left to have a barbecue at my daughter's house where they will stay over night. They cannot drive home after all that white wine. The neighbours have just started singing drinking songs and will probably be at it all night or at least into the small hours. The sun is still shining at 22. 06. |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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I read in today's paper that sunrise today is 4.41 and sunset 21.23; the same as 24 June.
We haven't seen a sunset for several days here in my part of the UK (SW borders of England and Wales) but I noticed last night at about 11.15 that although the sky was cloudy it was still possible to see buildings and the roses in the garden. I don't think I would have been able to read by the amount of light available . . I must try tonight.
Mariannese, your celebrations sound wonderful. How do you cope with the thousands of midges etc that live around your lakes? All flying/biting/stinging creatures make a 'bee-line' for me and snack with relish off as many parts of my body as they can reach. And it's always ME, never other family members! |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| How wonderful and thank you for sharing this with us. I didn't know about this tradition. We need that here in the U.S. A pure celebratory holiday! |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| Scandinavia has some lovely traditions. One I especially like is St. Lucia's day in early December. I believe the maiden of the house used to wear a head wreath of lighted candles on that morning. I still remember how beautiful that part of the world is in summer, and I'll never forget the sauna I had in Finland! |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| When we stayed in Wisconsin with our young children we organized a big Lucia party for American friends together with other Swedes in Madison. Our 9-year-old was Lucia. It was unforgettable for one little girl who kept wondering why Malin was wearing a birthday cake on her head. |
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| My dear friend lived in Sweden for three years 20 years ago. She and her husband married and he was transferred there almost immediately. They loved it, but after 3 years he was sent somewhere else. This summer they took their 3 children back to see where they had lived, and to meet friends with whom they have kept in touch. She posted this video for the education of her friends here in the US. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Swedish Midsummer for Dummies
RE: OT: Midsummer in Sweden
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| cece, I loved the video and the commentary. |
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