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Swedish Midsummer Eve

27/6/2010

2 Comments

 
As I mentioned in my last post, Friday was midsummer eve in Sweden, a very sacred holiday! It seems almost as big as Christmas. Everything is closed and the city is practically empty because everyone goes to the country to celebrate the occasion. 
My uncle and aunt took us out to the country for the day to take part in a traditional midsummer celebration. This involves the ceremonial raising of the maypole, followed by performances by the local folk dance group all dressed in traditional costumes, after which everyone joins in to sing and dance around the maypole. 
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This woman made her costume, from weaving the fabric to sewing it together. Very impressive!
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It's traditional to make a wreath of flowers to wear, so Herbert made one to fully immerse himself in the midsummer experience.
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I included this last photo to show a super Swedish country house. 
2 Comments
William
26/6/2010 09:29:05 pm

From Wikipedia:

"An old Swedish traditon is that unmarried girls should before bedtime midsummer´s eve pick seven kinds of flowers and jump over seven roundpole fences and then sleep with the flowers under the pillow. During the night they will dream about the boy they will get married to."

Please tell me you did this!

And if you did, it had better have been Toby making a nocturnal cameo, or there'll be words.

Words indeed!

Reply
Lena
27/6/2010 01:14:16 am

I wish I was there!!

Reply



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