Midsummer’s Eve is one of the most important holidays in Sweden. People come together to sing and dance around
a midsummer’s pole and enjoy a picnic in the meadows. Some people wear traditional folk costumes
and many make crowns of leaves and wildflowers.
Like many other Swedish holidays traditional foods and drinks are
consumed including pickled herring, new potatoes with chives and sour cream,
strawberries and cream, and lots of alcohol.
This celebration dates back thousands of years with pagan
origins predating Christianity.
Midsummer Eve is considered to be a night of magic and a festival of
fertility. The night is a night for
romance. Traditionally, young women pick
seven different flowers and put them under their pillows in order to dream
about their future spouse. People
decorate with greenery to bring good fortune and health to people and livestock. Spring water and medicinal plants are
exceptionally potent on this night.
The church has attempted to co-opt Midsummer celebrations
with the birthday feast of John the Baptist, but in vain. In A History of the Swedish People
Moberg appropriately titles the chapter of the conversion of heathendom to
Christianity as ‘The 300 Years’ War’ as it took three centuries of crusades to
convert Swedish people. However, Midsummer’s
celebration is one battle the church did not win. Currently, Midsummer’s eve is a time for people
to let loose and have fun. Some of
the
songs are about sex and drinking while some are silly with silly dance moves
like Små grodorna. Picnic baskets are sure to have bottles of snaps,
beer or flavored brännvins.
Små
grodorna Traditional
lyrics in Swedish:
Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.
Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.
Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de.
Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de.
Kou ack ack ack, kou ack ack
ack,
kou ack ack ack ack kaa.
Kou ack ack ack, kou ack ack
ack,
kou ack ack ack ack kaa.
English translation:
The small frogs, the small frogs
are funny to see.
The small frogs, the small frogs
are funny to see.
No ears, no ears, no tails have
they.
No ears, no ears, no tails have
they.
Quack quack quack, quack quack
quack,
Quack quack quack quacka.
Quack quack quack, quack quack
quack,
Quack quack quack quacka.
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