Midsommar in Sweden

Throughout the world, a plethora of cultures engage in jubilant celebrations to commemorate the beginning of the summer season (National Geographic, 2019). Sweden’s midsummer festival, Midsommar, is one of the world’s most prominent examples of these festivities. Midsommar is a nationally-recognized Swedish holiday that takes place the weekend closest to summer solstice, which falls between June 20th and June 26th. Celebrations of all sizes take place at private cabins, country sides, and in cities throughout Sweden (Krumm, 2021). Each year, families and friends gather after a tedious winter to dance, feast, and drink as the newfound warmth of summer lifts the spirits of the Swedish people. This holiday promotes happiness across Sweden and spreads a sense of community.

History

The origins of Swedish Midsommar festivities can be traced back to 6th century AD, where bonfires were lit throughout southern Sweden to celebrate the inauguration of summer (Sweden Sverige, 2021). Similar to Slavic and Celtic culture, Swedish people believed that the first day of summer had magical qualities (Franklin, 2002). Since summer solstice is the lightest day of the year, they thought that this day was particularly useful for predicting futures. Young women indulged in salted porridge, believing that their prospective husbands would visit their dreams and give them water. Another common tradition that was practiced by Swedish people was to drink healing water as a remembrance of Christ’s baptism (Sweden Sverige, 2021). As the years went by, midsummer rituals became more commonly practiced and reflective of modern festivities. Starting in the 1500s, young Swedish individuals would decorate their houses, wear clothing decorated with ferns, and dance around a pole. Throughout central Sweden, people of a vast range of ages would feast on pickled herring and drink an assortment of beer and schnapps. By the 1900s, these rituals became widely practiced across the entirety of Sweden and amongst people of all ages. (Sweden Sverige, 2021).

Traditions

The Magic of Midsommar

Even though Midsommar is not considered as much of a magical occurrence as it used to be, many people throughout Sweden still hold superstitious beliefs about the first day of summer. Similar to how women used to eat salted porridge in hopes that their future husband would visit them in their dreams, many young Swedish women will pick seven flowers and place them under their pillow before going to sleep. Then, they will envision their future spouse while they dream (Krumm, 2021). In a more general sense, the Swedish people believe that Midsommar brings abundance and good fortune.

Midsommar in North America

As previously mentioned, many cultures have their own distinct midsummer festivities and rituals. In North America, particularly the United States, there are many festivals that are inspired by Sweden’s Midsommar. For instance, Battery Park, New York hosts a Swedish Midsummer Festival and Dance every year. Similar to the traditions in Sweden, attendees create flower crowns, enjoy Swedish cuisine, and dance around a maypole. Swedish vendors also line the streets of the festival (Battery Park City Authority, 2021). Geneva, Illinois celebrates Swedish Days at the same time Midsommar commences, as well. Throughout the weekend, Swedish food is served, and live music is played.