Midsummer

Midsummer holiday

Midsummer is a very old holiday. It was a feast to celebrate the longestday of the year. Long ago it was a pagan holiday to make the gods give rich harvests. Today we celebrate midsummer on the Friday and Saturday between the 20th and 26th of June. Officially it's to commemorate John the Baptist. There are big feasts in all the Nordic countries. In Sweden we dance around the midsummer pole.

Midsummer with our families

In the morning we go out and pick flowers to make a garland with summer flowers. Then we put it on our heads and dress up in nice summer clothes.

Sometimes we help cover the midsummer pole in flowers and to raise it. After that we dance all sorts of dances and sing songs.

After the dance we eat. We eat pickled herring, new potatoes, meatballs and egg. The parents drink beer and strong liqour and sing songs.

If you want to know who you are going to marry you pick seven different flowers, put them under your pillow and then you dream about the only one.

Author: Marikk Henriksson, Anna Eklöf