Midsummer: celebrating the season of the midnight sun

It's a scandinavian tradition we all should adopt. A summer solstice festival , an old-style celebration of dancing, singing, and enjoying the company of closest friends. It's one of the happiest parties you will ever experience, and certainly the most colorful.

The roots of midsummer day, 24th June, can be traced back to other May Day celebrations in ancient Rome, and medieval France and Germany. The centerpiece of the festival is the midsummer pole. Decorated with leaves, flowers and ribbons, the midsummer pole is seen in centers of villages, town and in the countryside. Smaller versions adorn the front gardens of many houses.

Midsummer is celebrated the nearest weekend to the actual midsummer day. A few days before roads are packed with people leaving for the weekend to get to their summer houses, or gather at friends. On midsummer eve, the traditional menu includes new potoates boiled in dill and served with matjes herring or various other marinated herrings. Soured cream with chives is among one of the many accompaniments. Most tables invariably include schnapps to drink, and strawberries and cream deserts.

Music is traditional, songs are traditional and for many, and the dancing continues well into the night. In the very northern parts of Sweden of course, this is the season of the midnight sun, and so provides a rare sight that never dims to more than twilight throughout the night.

At one time, unmarried girls would make up bunches of wild flowers and put them under their pillow on midsummer night, to wish their ideal future husband into their dreams - if only life were so simple still...