Happy Midsummer

HAPPY MIDSUMMER


 

  We've just returned from a lovely family reunion in Sweden. The weather was beautiful, although still a little chilly but not a cloud in sight, the company wonderful, the sights sensational and the excitement of "almost summer" very much in the air..

Mark June 21st in your diary

One of the most important events of the year in Sweden (and in other Scandinavian countries) is taking place this weekend, on the 21st of June to be precise (also corresponding to the Summer Solstice). A highly anticipated event, also declared a public holiday, and only surpassed by Christmas ! This happy celebration is called:-

"MIDSOMMAR"

Large gatherings of family and friends desert the cities, heading for the countryside. The celebration of Midsommar kicks off the summer season in style. It stems from ancient pagan times marking the defeat of darkness to the powers of the Sun God.  

Summer months are beautiful but short in Sweden and the lack of daylight for most of the year is compensated by a never setting sun up in the North and a sun setting for only one to two hours in the south. Quite a strange impression indeed to come back from a dinner party past midnight with blue skies and birds chirping..  

From the car... way past midnight...

So, Midsommar day begins with picking wild flowers and making wreaths to put on the maypole and crowns for young girl's pretty heads.


The Maypole is a key component of the celebration.

All flowered up, pretty and ready to be danced around...( ugh...just saw that awful lamp post in the background - hate ugly lamp posts ...!

The young girls look lovely with their crowns of fresh flowers ...

So adorable...

Front and back...

Beautiful... and what a happy smile...

No celebration is worthy of the name without decent food and drink right...? Well, our Swedish friends know just how to throw a party !


 First, let's set the table...

Field flowers and natural elements...

Flowers and strawberries...

Rustic and charming to chill the beer/schnapps/wine/water...whatever

Lights and candles always...

A typical Midsommar menu is composed of various kinds of pickled herring, boiled new potatoes with sour cream, fresh dill and chives. Something grilled then follows; usually spare ribs or salmon and to top it all, the first, deliciously fresh strawberries of the summer season are served with plenty of cream.

  

Pickled herring bouchées...

   

Yummy Yummy Yummy...

Look at those wonderful flower crowns... OK, I guess you can peek at that cake too...I'm getting hungry here...

Did anyone mention drinks ?? Cold beer and schnapps (and LOTS of singing..) are obligatory...

Anyone know any Swedish drinking songs?

After all that calorie consumption, one is invited to dance it off around the maypole... preferably on an outdoor dance floor...

Painting by Anders Zorn 1897 - National Museum

beside a lake...

or a pond...

Anywhere is fine really...


As long...

As it includes a red barn...

Wearing traditional dress...

So so pretty...

Cuteness overload...

And always those radiant smiles...

Little House on the Prairie meets Little Red Riding Hood...

And because light is so important, and because it might also be getting a little cool in the later hours; the day ends with a glowing bonfire...

Anyone know any Swedish sing along bonfire songs...?

On the way home, after this long and wonderful day of rejoicing, dancing, eating and drinking; all the young ladies are supposed to pick 7 different kinds of wild flowers and place them under their pillows. At night, their future husbands will appear to them in a dream...( what might the potential groom look like after a few too many schnapps I wonder....;))))


I am sorry that I missed Midsommar in Sweden by a week, but inspired to perhaps throw my own Midsummer party to celebrate the official arrival of Summer.... What do you think ? 

You're invited...

Setting a summer table is always fun...

Contemporary Runner Style...perhaps...

Or with the last of the peonies in colored bottles...

How about hanging those bottles...

Sophisticated simplicity with lanterns and roses...

And lights, lights, lights...

I'd make flower wreaths..

For me and all my friends...

Yup... ALL my friends...

Whether they like it...

Or not...!

Perhaps a simpler do will do...

Braid and a few sprigs...

Then the outfit...

Nah...too much hat and sunbrella to handle here...

Waaaay too romantic...Need to eat, drink and be merry remember...

Cute...but for my daughters...

This will do nicely, Thank You...

Summer's here - Let's PARTY...

 

To all our Scandinavian family and friends, and to all you sun-worshippers out there; 3 cheers for Summer...

and a...

 

to everyone !

A bientôt...

Credits:- www.sweden.se, Swedish coaster by Heidi Lange, www.explorewestsweden.com, salt&sill-snaps glasses, pinterest, macaulay.cuny.edu, asherfloyd.com, soyz.blogspot.nl, wabisabi-style.blogspot.com, johner.com, kevin mc nair, maud sjöberg - pinterest, huset-shop.com, swedishness, daphne mitchell, oleg mitlukhin, ceciliaartiste.blogspot.com, katherijne pino, elizabeth riley, coffee fairy, yourcosyhome.blogspot.com, stoneblossomflorals.com, monmonmori.tumblr, pinterest lost instockholm.com, splendidwillow.com, buzzfeed.com, flickr.com, freepeoplesouthcoastplaza, downtoyourskivvies, curious-doll.blogspot.com, imogenmss.tumblr.com, sugarpluminvitations.blogspot.com, etsy.com.