Very common place that hosts the Swedish Midsommar feasts. For many Swedes, the Midsummer lunch is the best food of the year, though it’s similar to the food eaten at Easter and Christmas. At swedenabroad.com you’ll find information about Swedish embassies and their activities. Sweden and Midsommar In Sweden , where the festival is called "Midsommar", houses are decorated inside and out with wreaths and flower garlands. The Museum of Spirits in Stockholm has collected more than 12,000 drinking songs. Every time the glasses are refilled, singing breaks out anew. Ein Sammelsurium an Farben! A vital part of enjoying aquavit is the toasting and singing. Here are some must haves on the table when celebrating Midsummers eve. I kid you not, it is hard to find a Swede working in July. Christian hatte die Reise zunächst vor Dani verheimlicht, weil er sich trennen wollte, lädt sie aber ein, nachdem sie von der Reise erfahren hat. Midsummer in Sweden – a cherished tradition. Photo: Vilhelm Stokstad/imagebank.sweden.se. Sill (Herring) This is a dish that you will either love or hate, there’s about a 50/50 chance of either. Young women would pick seven different kinds of flowers and put under their pillow to dream of their future husband. In Sweden, and in some Swedish-speaking regions of Finland, tall midsummer poles are erected on Midsummer Eve, similar to the maypoles raised in the continental Europe and Britain. Midsummer Day occurs on the Saturday following Midsummer Eve. Drinking songs are unique to Sweden (and the Swedish speaking parts of Finland) and new ones are composed by using known melodies and making up lyrics. Midsummer is one of the most celebrated holidays in Sweden. Like Whitsun, Midsummer is a popular time of year for weddings and christening ceremonies. Especially for the festivities, townspeople leave their homes and escape to the countryside. Traditionally celebrated on the summer solstice, the festivities include raising a … Most Swedes travel to the countryside to celebrate Midsommar with family and friends. Wearing a wreath of flowers in your hair is an old symbol of rebirth and fertility. Must-haves are gravlax or salmon, new potatoes with dill, sour cream and chives, and, of course, sill (pickled herring). Juni liegt. Many plants acquired healing powers on that one night of the year. Midsummarafton. And the strawberries. Midsummer Food Sock (c) Happy Socks. Die Midsummer Food Socken servieren typische schwedische Häppchen, die man nur auf einer echten Mittsommerparty findet. It seems like the sun never sets. See more ideas about midsummer, sweden, summer solstice. Like all major holidays, midsummer revolves around eating and drinking. Köttbullar (Meatballs) Raggmunk. A cookie is stored on your device to give you a better experience of the website. Traditional food for Midsummer in Scandinavia are potatoes with herring or smoked fish, fresh fruit, and probably some schnapps and beer for the adults. The Swedish Midsummer requires three things: The maypole (majstång or midsommarstång). You are welcome to join in the celebration! Midsummer is normally an occasion of large gatherings − and to be honest, many Swedes take advantage of it to fulfil their social obligations so that they can enjoy the rest of their holiday in peace. Kubb is played in local parks and private gardens. The Christian tradition of celebrating the prophet St. John the Baptist on June 24 coincides with the summer solstice. The crisp bread, often known as knäckebröd in Swedish, was once considered a poor man’s food, but nevertheless, it has been a popular bread baked in Sweden over the last 500 years. Seit heidnischen Zeiten haben die Schweden den längsten Tag des Jahres um die Zeit der Sommersonnenwende gefeiert. It seems like the Sun never sets. The midsommarbord, or midsummer-table is often including Swedish meatballs, prinskorv (prince sausage), salmon, more herring, sour cream, potato-salad, roast beef, vasterbotten cheese-pie, various breads, brannvinsost (liquor-cheese) and desserts like strawberry cake or fresh strawberries served with vanilla ice-cream and whipped cream. Midsummer was primarily an occasion for young people, but it was also celebrated in the industrial communities of central Sweden, where all mill employees were given a feast of pickled herring, beer and schnapps. When combined, they will give you the taste of real Swedish summer. In some areas people dressed up as ‘green men’, clad in ferns. Laut Gesetz aus dem Jahr 1953 wird Midsommar immer an dem Samstag gefeiert, der zwischen dem 20. und dem 26. These visits were a reminder of how John the Baptist baptised Christ in the River Jordan. In Malmö you can visit Folkets Park and places like Borrby, Brantevik Backåkra and Skillinge offer music, dancing and games. From the late Middle Ages, Swedes began raising and dancing around a midsummer pole. The midsummer food is as described different kind of herrings (mustard herring/dill herring/lemon herring/midsummer herring etc. If you are looking for the full treat including people dressed up in traditional Swedish folk costumes, professional folk music and dancing, parade with the garlands, maypole raising and perhaps even a church boat race, head to Dalarna. Traditional Swedish dishes you’ll find on a Midsummer table include herring in all forms (pickled, smoked, and fermented) served with chives and crème fraîche or sour cream, boiled new potatoes with fresh dill, cured salmon, rustic breads, potato dumplings, meatballs, and a dessert … In Sweden, Midsummer is celebrated by families and the community as a whole. Midsummer is celebrated on June 24th, but in Finland (in year 1955) and Sweden (in year 1953), the date was moved to fall on the first Saturday after … Non-regulatory. For more details and updated information, please visit krisinformation.se, official emergency information from Swedish authorities. I often get asked what to do for midsummer. Here is an essential guide to surviving midsummer in Sweden. At midsummer, fresh new potatoes aka färskpotatis cooked with dill are a must. However, the festival was traditionally observed on June 24th. There’s no one “right” way to celebrate midsummer, although there are a few common foods and activities that tend to be involved (like putting up a midsummer pole and singing and dancing). Seit den 1950er Jahren feiern wir Mittsommer aus praktischen Gründen am Mittsommerabend, der immer an einem Freitag zwischen dem 19. You are definitely going to want to serve this on your midsummer table. It’s an ancient day that many people still enjoy because summer calls for celebration! Young people also liked to visit holy springs, where they drank the healing water and amused themselves with games and dancing. In fact, in the north of Sweden, it doesn’t, and in the south, only for an hour or two. Due to the long, bright and cool spring nights Swedish strawberries don’t burn their sugar as quickly, making them sweeter. Most Swedes serve a buffet of traditional Swedish food such as new potatoes, pickled herring and salmon. TRADITIONS. The bread is also one of the most common sides served together with a main course dish. The other part of the traditional Swedish Midsummer celebration involves eating and drinking copious amounts, ideally outside, and ideally without rain or mosquitoes to dampen the mood. Small, and with thin skin that is gently scrubbed, they make lovely companions with pickled herring, gravlax and Swedish meatballs. Or why not organise your own midsummer party. You can go wild with the pickled herring, putting out several varieties on the table. Schweden legen sich richtig ins Zeug was Besonderes an Mittsommer zu machen. During this night many a relationship is put to the test. In Lapland in Northern Sweden you can add the midnight sun to your midsummer celebration as you dance the night away. 31.03.2016 - Mittsommer in Skandinavien: Alles über die Bräuche zum Mittsommerfest erfahren Sie heute im Westwing Magazin! #Midsommar #SwedishCulture #Amerikaner What happens when an American tries Swedish Midsommar food for the first time? Check out some of the herring varieties here. Midsummer Night is the lightest of the year and was long considered a magical night, as it was the best time for telling people’s futures. Deep inside, Swedes are all agreed on what it should look like and how it should proceed. A traditional Midsummer pole, or maypole. For each toast a new song is sung. This calls for celebration! I often get asked what to do for midsummer. In Northern Europe, the date is still celebrated with the lighting of bonfires and festivities. Further out into the archipelago you will find islands like Grinda, Sandhamn and Utö. Girls ate salted porridge so that their future husbands might bring water to them in their dreams, to quench their thirst. One of the best dishes to ever hail out of Sweden. This is often followed by a grilled dish of some kind, such as spare rib or salmon, and for dessert the first strawberries of summer, with cream. While the bread can be topped with basics like cheese and ham, most Swedes prefer to eat it with delicious caviar. Most Gothenburgers escape the city for their midsummer fun, heading to the family summer house on one of the islands or staying in a cottage by a lake to get close to nature. The classic midsommar lunch is eaten around a table stacked with boiled potatoes, different types of pickled herring, crispbread and salads, though these days just about … In Sweden Midsummer's day is a Saturday between June 20 and June 26, but as is usual in Sweden the actual celebration is on the eve, i.e. Sweden’s festivities originated in the center of the country, revolving around the white night that follows the midnight sun, whose lasting power increases as you travel north toward the Arctic Circle. Midsummer festivals began as agrarian rituals designed to welcome summer and encourage fertility. Green tea kombucha, … The 2020 celebrations will most likely look quite different, as large social gatherings should currently be avoided, according to the recommendations of the authorities. The flowers must be picked in silence, or the magic would be broken. 2020-06-24 Fewer solar panels, but higher power, with Midsummer Magnum – 500 Watt per solar panel. No Swedish midsummer celebration is complete without pickled herring, called sill in Swedish, and boiled potatoes with dill. In Sweden, Midsummer is a national holiday as important to Swedes as Independence Day is to Americans. Historically, in the far north, meats such as reindeer, and other (semi-)game dishes were eaten, some of which have their roots in the Sami culture, while fresh vegetables have played a larger role in the South. A national holiday, Midsummer is as important to Swedes as Independence Day is to Americans; likewise, its menu includes picnic fare like gravadlax, … If you were to sing one drinking song every day, they would last more than 32 years! If you don’t drink the first one, you can’t have the second, called ‘Halvan’ meaning ‘the half’. In the collection 'Celebrating the Swedish Way', Lilja has written the sections about the history of Swedish traditions and festivities. Laut Wikipedia, ist Midsommar in Schweden nach Weihnachten das Swedes have a very generous allocation of Red Days, enough to make the average American green with envy, and, of all their Red Days, Midsummer is the one closest to Swedish hearts. Po Tidholm is a freelance journalist and a critic based in the province of Hälsingland. Midsummer celebrations are big events by nature. Friendly arguments about the rules of kubb have almost become part of the game. The midsummer fare boils down to a few musts: fresh potatoes, pickled herring, aquavit and strawberries. To accompany the food Swedes usually drink cold beer and spicy schnapps. The traditional Midsummer food are pickled herrings, new potatoes served in a sour cream and dill sauce with hard-boiled eggs, Swedish meatballs, gravadlax (cured salmon), Västerbottensost cheese pie, assorted breads and crispbreads. Swedish Midsummer is also celebrated in other places with large Swedish and Scandinavian populations, such as Rockford , Illinois , Chicago , Minneapolis , Minnesota , and Lindsborg , Kansas . The islands of Vaxholm, Dalarö and Värmdö are connected to the mainland and easy to get to by bus. Sie wollen nach Schweden, um dort in einer abgelegenen ländlichen Gemeinde an den Feierlichkeiten zur Sommersonnenwende teilzunehmen, zu denen sie ihr Freund Pelle eingeladen hat, der dort aufgewachsen ist. Modern Midsummer in Sweden. The most important herring for midsummer is the soused herring or matjessill as it is called in Swedish. The kubb game can be found at department stores, sports stores or toy stores. ||| Agneta Lilja is a lecturer in ethnology at Södertörn University College, Stockholm. The different family games played at midsummer are commonly called ‘femkamp’, often with a playful twist. Photo: Vilhelm Stokstad/imagebank.sweden.se, Photo credit: Vilhelm Stokstad/imagebank.sweden.se. Most important foods on midsummer day are, the new fresh Swedish small potatoes, herring as always, and a varied selection of Swedish dishes as Västerbottenpaj, Matjessill, Gubbröra, Strawberries, Strawberry cake and the snaps, which is strong, spicy vodka. Mittsommer ist einer der beliebtesten Feiertage in Schweden. Due to its popularity, the event has earned a holiday status in the country. From 6 February, a negative Covid-19 test certificate will be required for foreign citizens coming to Sweden. In the collection 'Celebrating the Swedish Way', he has written the main sections about how we celebrate in Sweden today. Dekorationen, Eier, Köttbullar – dieses Paar blaue Socken hat alles. Sweden’s National Day is June 6, but midsummer is when Swedes truly celebrate. It takes place in June and is one of the most celebrated holidays in Sweden. The midsummer fare boils down to a few musts: fresh potatoes, pickled herring, aquavit and strawberries. Midsummer food and drink. As mentioned before, Swedish pickled herring is a must on Midsummers eve. A typical Midsummer menu features different kinds of pickled herring, boiled new potatoes with fresh dill, soured cream and chives. Midsummers eve is when … Sill. 2013-2021 Swedish Institute. In Sweden, they were mainly found in the southern part of the country. The traditional accompaniment is a cold beer and schnapps, preferably spiced. Swedes eat all kinds of weird things, at least if you ask these Americans tasting midsummer food.. Midsummer Tradition . https://www.saveur.com/gallery/recipes-from-a-swedish-midsummer-celebration The celebration involves a lot of food and flowers, so preparations start early in the day with cooking and picking wild flowers. In many cases, whole families gather to celebrate this traditional high-point of the summer. It is also said that if you place seven types of flowers under your pillow at midsummer, you will dream about your future spouse. Midsummer Eve is the biggest röd dag after Christmas and the most Swedish of all their röd dagar. It is in Gamla Stan (the old town) and although fairly expensive (main courses are around 300 SEK) it is highly rated. Although an ancient feast, midsummer is still an important national festival in Finland, as well as in Sweden and Norway. Midsommar is my favorite day of the year, and no matter where I am I make it a point to celebrate. In Europe, celebrations, holidays, and traditions related to Midsummer are of pre-Christianity origin. https://visitsweden.com/.../midsummer-sweden-something-another-world The amazing Big Swede BBQ, makes the best Skagen Toast we’ve tried so far. Today, midsummer is about celebrating that the best time of the year lies ahead of us. Like all major holidays, midsummer revolves around eating and drinking. The traditional food served at midsummer is part of the Swedish smorgasbord that Swedes also enjoy at Easter and Christmas. Traditional Swedish dishes you’ll find on a Midsummer table include herring in all forms (pickled, smoked, and fermented) served with chives and crème fraîche or sour cream, boiled new potatoes with fresh dill, cured salmon, rustic breads, potato dumplings, meatballs, and … On their way home, girls and young women are supposed to pick seven different species of flowers and lay them under their pillows. For traditional festivities in Stockholm the place to go is Skansen. The potatoes are most often new potatoes, freshly harvested potatoes that are smaller than their older counterparts. The food intake is made with songs and laughter. Legends surrounding Swedish Midsummer The most popular drinking song is ‘Helan går’. Eine besonders wichtige Tradition bildet der Tanzreigen um die Mittsommerstange, die Beteiligten fallen dann auf durch einen besonders bunten Blumenschmuck auf dem Kopf. Mittsommerfest in Schweden Die Schweden und ihr Mittsommerfest. For example if you dont have pickled herring you might aswell cancel the whole thing. It was not until the 1900s, however, that this became the most Swedish of all traditional festivities. Typical food you find on any Swedish midsummer table – a smörgåsbord with: lax (salmon) färskpotatis (fresh potatoes) sill (herring) strömming (Baltic herring) köttbullar (meatballs) and for desert jordgubbar (strawberries) with glass (ice cream) or jordgubbstårta (strawberry cake) Sep 5, 2012 - Explore DalaHorse MANIA's board "Sweden Midsummer", followed by 352 people on Pinterest. To preserve the flowers’ magic throughout the year, bouquets were dried and sometimes placed in the Christmas bath to keep the family healthy through the long, cold winter. Here’s how! During the evening, traditional folk music is played with people dancing and playing around the pole. This is the official site of Sweden, offering you the facts and stories of our country. Last updated: What Is Midsummer? People traditionally pick flowers and create their own floral crowns which they wear throughout the day. Queues of cars stretch away into the distance, and at the end of the road, family and friends wait among silver birches in full, shimmering bloom. Don’t forget crisp bread, cheese and butter! Das Mittsommerfest in Schweden hat jedoch keinerlei religiösen Bezug. The food and drinks are very important for the Swedes on Midsummers eve. Dabei werden landestypische Lieder gesungen und es fließt reichlich traditioneller Kräuterschnaps, den nicht nur die Einheimischen sehr schätzen. Stores are closed on Sundays and major holidays so plan your visit in time for midsummer. Go to visitsweden.com to discover the wealth of tourist attractions that Sweden has to offer. Fem Små Hus is one of my favourite Stockholm restaurants and is the only one in my personal top ten that stays open for Midsummer. It was not until the 1900s, however, that this became the most Swedish of all traditional festivities. Man weiß, dass die Woche nach Mittsommer mindestens 100 Leute einen … Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Wählen Sie aus erstklassigen Inhalten zum Thema Midsummer Sweden in … a Friday between June 19 and June 25. Decorating it with flowers and greenery is called ‘maja’, so it is also known as a maypole. This website uses cookies. Schon Wochen vor Mittsommer hört man in Gesprächen am Arbeitsplatz oder mit Freunden sehr oft die Frage „Vad ska du göra på midsommar?„, Was machst du zu Mittsommer? In fact, Midsummer in Sweden is the second most important feast after Christmas, celebrated by every Swedish man, woman, and child. Midsummer falls on a Saturday anywhere between June 20th and June 26th. There’s no one “right” way to celebrate midsummer, although there are a few common foods and activities that tend to be involved (like putting up a midsummer pole and singing and dancing). . Swedes are fairly well attuned to the rhythms of nature. All you need to know about Swedish higher education and scholarships is available at studyinsweden.se. Swedes and many northern peoples celebrate a solstice holiday known as Midsummer’s Day. The Stockholm archipelago with its 30,000 islands and skerries make for a stunning setting. Midsummer in Sweden though is really special, the biggest holiday of the year after Christmas. Under the influence of alcohol, the truth will out, which can lead both to marriage and to divorce. Dare to try a few different kinds. Smörgåstårta. It still is, in a way. At Midsummer, many begin their five-week annual holidays and everyone is in a hurry to get things done during the relatively short summer season. May 24, 2018 - Explore Jenny Oh's board "MIDSUMMER FOOD" on Pinterest.