Midsummer’s Eve in Sweden

Just before the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, Midsummer’s Eve is celebrated in Sweden. The day was originally a church holiday to celebrate the birth of John the Baptist on June 24th, but there are those who believe that vestiges of the celebration can be traced all the way back to pre-Christian times. Although Midsummer’s Eve is, for all practical purposes, no longer associated with the church these days, it’s still an important symbol of summer’s verdure, serenity, and mysticism.

Herring and schnapps

A classic Midsummer’s Eve lunch traditionally consists of maatjes herring (fresh, pickled baby herring coated with sugar, salt, and spices such as cinnamon and powdered sandalwood), new potatoes, natural sour cream, and diced chives. This is typically accompanied by a pale ale with a schnapps or “nubbe” (shot of liquor). Other common Midsummer’s Eve menu items include deviled eggs with various toppings, a hearty pie topped with aged Västerbotten cheese, various early-season fruits and vegetables and, of course, the obligate “gräddtårta” (custard pie) with fresh strawberries.

Decorating with leaves

One of the most important parts of the holiday is the maypole. This is a tall pole in the shape of a cross, decorated with birch or oak leaves and flowers and bearing a garland on the end of each arm. On Midsummer’s Eve, the pole is raised in gardens, fairgrounds, and community centres and people gather to dance in a ring around the pole.

Attire

Since Midsummer’s Eve is a popular, long-awaited holiday, people dress in style for the occasion, preferably in white or light colors. Thinner summer clothing is common, but even traditional folk costumes are worn in certain parts of the country – although most often at larger, public Midsummer’s Eve celebrations. Men, women, and children alike wear a wreath adorned with leaves and flowers – the Midsummer’s Eve wreath.

Mysticism

Midsummer’s Eve has always been closely linked to mysticism, superstition, and the occult. In the past, people believed that the lush vegetation had magical qualities and that the bright June night sky attracted supernatural beings. While traditions such as rolling around naked in the midsummer dew and wearing your Midsummer’s Eve wreath when you take a dip in ice-cold waters on Christmas Day aren’t particularly common any more, some traditions still remain today. This includes, for example, picking seven or nine different types of flowers to place under your pillow so that your dreams that night will reveal the identity of your future wife or husband.

Three places to celebrate Midsummer’s Eve in Sweden

Text by Agnes Regell