Midsummer traditions are important, probably for most Swedes. The traditions evoke memories from childhood, provide links to history and make us Swedes feel that we have something in common. But will they be kept alive, and are they changing?
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Important midsummer traditions
Every year, the traditional Midsummer celebrations, held at local farms around the country, attract large numbers of people. Meanwhile, many Swedes living abroad try to keep traditions alive with Swedish flags, strawberries and herring from IKEA.
We celebrated this year traditional (very nice!) midsummer at Forsa forngård outside Hudiksvall, and then headed to the beautiful Urö Gård Ställplats campsite. All pictures in the post are from these places!
What is needed to keep Midsummer traditions alive?
One person wrote to us that "may this tradition be preserved" and we think it probably will, at least for the foreseeable future. Things that people like are often kept alive, plain and simple!
Of course, organising the big celebrations requires commitment, for example in the form of associations at local farms, and we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Do you?
Are Midsummer traditions changing?
In any case, we started to think a bit. Even if Midsummer traditions are kept alive... are they changing? And if so, how? Most traditions have changed over time. Even though we have celebrated Christmas and Easter for 'ever', the celebrations have never been the same. "The only thing that is constant is change", it is sometimes said, and it is probably true.
When we think back to how Midsummer was celebrated when we were children, we don't see much difference at all. Perhaps we suspect that food traditions have changed a little: slightly more people choosing wine instead of beer and slightly more people choosing prawns and salmon instead of herring.
Perhaps the dishes have been "spiced up" a little and perhaps some trendy desserts have been added. But otherwise, we feel that the tradition is changing at a leisurely, and simply quite slow, pace.
Some thoughts...
What we want to ask you is...
- Have Midsummer traditions changed since you were a child? Is anything different now compared to then?
- Do you see any challenges in keeping Midsummer celebrations alive?
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Lena in Wales and a bit everywhere says:
I also feel that the traditions surrounding Midsummer have not changed since I was a child. Or you simply don't remember. Neither celebrations nor food.
I think it's important to have traditions and I hope that younger people think so too. Then there is hope.
Fun questions and also important, I think.
Take care!
26 June 2024 - 9:06
Helena says:
We experience the same, that it has hardly changed, which is fascinating anyway! My experience is that younger people also value traditions, we can hope so anyway 🙂
26 June 2024 - 20:46
Ditte says:
I think the traditions are similar today as they were when I grew up. Partly I grew up in Norway and there midsummer is not really something you celebrate like this, there it is called ST:Hans day, similar to John the Baptist's day.
This year we were in Åland, where Midsummer celebrations are very traditional, just as I remember them from my childhood in Sweden,
As far as food is concerned, the dishes that appear in Sweden are similar to those that usually appear at Christmas (except perhaps porridge, lutefisk and Christmas ham) and Easter. Yes, a smorgasbord in general. But the strawberries are probably in place and so maybe not directly at Christmas and Easter. We eat strawberries basically every day from the week before midsummer until the end of August, so they're not just for midsummer either.
Not exactly a challenge to keep midsummer alive but maybe for the younger ones.
26 June 2024 - 18:09
Helena says:
Interesting to hear your reflections! We know that the holiday has a slightly more Christian name in Norway and Denmark. Glad to hear that you recognised the traditions in Åland! Agree that the sandwich table is similar at most holidays, though less of meatballs, ham, ribs, liver pate, sausages, etc. at Midsummer ... 😉
26 June 2024 - 20:50