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| Even the most sensible Swede resorts to a strange, summer silliness |
21th June
Even the Swedes themselves will readily admit to a
strange, midsummer silliness - a symptom, they
say, of being sensible and practical for the rest of
the year. Together with Christmas, Midsummer
(Midsommar) is the most popular festival in
Scandinavia - a traditional celebration that pre-
dates Christian times. Once a fertility ritual that
centred on nature and the onset of the harvest
season, the Summer solstice is time to gather
friends and family together for fresh strawberries,
smoked fish and pickled herring - washed down
with plenty of beer. Many Swedes still decorate
their houses inside and out with floral wreaths and
bow-strewn birch garlands, while in rural Sweden,
maidens dance around ribbon-swathed poles to
ancient folk songs. in Oland, a small island on the
Baltic Coast, giant bonfires are lit to ward off evil
spirits and signify the defeat of darkness. Reached
from Kalmar via a 6 km (4 mile) bridge, Oland is
synonymous with wild Midsummer partying. In
Stockholm, crowds of revealers drink beer and
picnic by the capital's many lakes and waterways -
in olden times, people would gaze into the depths
to see the face of their future spouse. Today, the
custom of the young is do simply jump in - naked.
More info : Swedish Tourism, Oland Tourism
More info : Swedish Tourism, Oland Tourism
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