Picture borrowed here.
Today is the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, and although some believe this can make you a bit crazy (see cult classic The Wicker Man) we celebrate this pagan tradition, Midsummer, differently.
Traditional foods are pickled herring, boiled eggs, new potatoes, meatballs and strawberries in some form, for dessert. Nowadays people like to barbecue too, as the Swedes go crazy with their barbecues every summer.
It is usually bad weather and often rain, which we try to laugh about, but you have to at least try to sit outside. And to keep warm we drink snaps and sing snaps songs of course.
During the afternoon it is customary to dance around a may pole (a phallus symbol) and especially the children like this. An old tradition young girls try at least once is to, late in the evening, walk around and pick seven different types of flowers while silent, then put them underneath your pillow and you will dream about your future husband.
Happy midsummer and skål!
Scandelights 