Every year, at the end of June, thousands of Scandinavians come adorned in their traditional clothes to sing and dance around a ‘maypole’ to celebrate the coming of summer.
What is Midsommar’s Origin?
While not commonly celebrated by Americans, festivals dedicated to the summer solstice, called Midsommar festivals, are very popular in Scandinavian countries. Initially, Midsommar was established as a pagan holiday with the main focus of ensuring that the year’s harvest be abundant.
Because Midsommer was viewed as a magical, sacred time, certain rituals were performed with the intention of bringing people luck in different facets of life, aside from the harvest. For instance, According to Britannica, Bonfires were lit to ward off ‘evil spirits’, and one could make an attempt at casting a love spell by tucking exactly seven flowers under their pillow. This was expected to bring them dreams of a future lover.
Various other superstitious rites related to themes of fertility, healing, and rebirth.
How Has Midsommar Changed?
Though the holiday’s pagan roots are still honored, Midsommar has gained a strong association with Christianity. This is because St. John’s Day (a Christian holiday in honor of John the Baptist) was coincidentally celebrated on the same day that Midsommar used to fall on every year: June 24th. This was changed in 1953, so that Midsommar would be celebrated not on a fixed date, but on a Friday and a Saturday between June 19th and June 26th.
In Sweden and Finland, Midsommar is a government holiday This year, it will be celebrated on Friday, June 20th.
Modern observance of Midsommar is less focused on magical precautionary measures. Instead, it is moreso observed as a time of celebration and merriment. While flower crowns, called ‘midsommarkrans’ were made and worn in the past with the intention of protecting fertility, they are now made and worn for festive purposes.
What Is Eaten At Midsommar Festivals?
As with any established holiday, certain festive foods are guaranteed to be eaten during Midsommar. Some common ones include:
What Is The Significance of The Maypole?
Big or small, Midsommar celebrations usually always involve a Maypole. These tall, erect structures are adorned with flowers and greenery and stand in open spaces, allowing people to gather to dance in circles around them. According to Brittanica, they are traditional symbols of fertility.
What Other Activities Take Place During Midsommar?
Visit Sweden explains some of the games played in conjunction with Midsommar. One of them is ‘femkamp’, which involves competition split into five different challenges. This might include games played with a blindfold, sack races, cornhole, and more. Another game is ‘kubb’, which involves knocking over wooden blocks by throwing sticks at them.
If you ever find yourself in Scandinavia during June, consider celebrating Midsommar.