Everything You Need to Know About the Swedish Midsummer

Ancient traditions clouded in mystery and love

Midsummer is the longest day of the year, it has long been associated with love, eroticism and magic. In ancient times it was the climax of the year, a time you must be alert, and profit from. This year, Midsummersday falls on the 25th of June.

Anyone who wanted to live a healthy, happy and wealthy life, surrounded by love, had to be prepared and follow the rituals and magic rules, to ensure a prosperous and enriched year!

Midsummer has been celebrated throughout the European continent in numerous places and across countless timelines. But nowadays it is mostly celebrated in Scandinavia, especially in Sweden and Finland.

The actual beginnings of this tradition in Sweden are engulfed in mystery and confusion. Only small insinuations are mentioned in Medieval sources, and that mostly related to beer drinking rituals and sacrifice during the times of the Vikings. The tradition of the Maypole was undoubtedly brought to Sweden from Germany, sometime during the Middle Ages, when german migration to Sweden was common.

Paintings from the 1600’s century exist, as historical proof, showing Maypoles decorated with leaves and flowers, even though the celebrations took place in May in Germany and by midsummer in Sweden.

The reason for this delay was probably the colder climate in Sweden, thus summer arrives later, but by late June leaves and flowers bloom.

Contradictory options as to the source of the name Maypole exist; The first one assures that it got its name from the first of May celebrations in Germany and the rest of the European continent. Others insist the pole got its name from Maja, meaning “decorate with leaves”.

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