If you ask a Swede what traditional feast he or she loves the most, rest assured the answer will be Midsummer Eve – you can forget about Christmas or New Year’s Eve. For centuries, Swedes have celebrated this day with great celebrations throughout the bright Nordic summer night. Have a look at some of the Midsummer traditions – and maybe try some of them yourself!
On Midsummer Eve, Swedes meet up with friends and family to celebrate the arrival of summer. The party always takes place outdoors, and usually starts with a lunch consisting of herring with new potatoes (even though the kids often insist on hot dogs instead of herring) followed by fresh strawberries with whipped cream.
After lunch, it’s time for the traditional maypole dancing. This is probably the tradition that non-Swedes find the most amusing to watch and we kind of understand why: Kids and adults dancing around a flower-clad pole while singing folklore songs and making funny moves and gestures.
After this somewhat exotic activity, the festivities usually continue in a more mainstream way with a barbeque, drinks and dancing (this time to contemporary music). Since the Midsummer night is so bright – in some parts of Sweden the sun never sets at all – it’s no wonder these parties go on all night. Should you nevertheless get some time for sleep, you must remember to place seven different kinds of flowers under your pillow. According to the tradition, you will then – and during this night only – dream about your future partner…
The Swedish Midsummer Eve is truly special, and this year it will be even more so. We’ll all have to find ways to celebrate while a keeping a caring social distance – so perhaps 2020 will add new, exciting fun and games to the traditions!
Speaking of celebrations, there’s more to look forward to this year. FlexLink is turning 40, and this we’d like to celebrate together with you. For four decades, we’ve been using our expertise in material flow solutions to help our customers reach their goals and expand their businesses. It’s been a proud and challenging journey, and now it’s time to celebrate by sharing our experiences, innovations and fun.
So we’ll end this post by inviting you to our upcoming anniversary. Stay tuned to know more! And have a happy and safe Midsummer Eve. Celebrate in every way you can and take care.
Best regards from all of us at FlexLink
Leave a Reply