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Raw Fish, Schnapps, Maypoles, and the Frog Dance

Everything You Need to Know for Celebrating a Proper Swedish Midsummer

Swedes are not known for their loud and brazen ways, but for one summer day in the month of June they come together in an often unhinged celebration of the longest day of the year. I think it is the fact that the sun is only up for a few hours per day during the winter months that makes Swedes absolutely worship this day. And for some reason, in Sweden, the combination of raw, pickled herring and fine aquavit liquor seems to be the only worthy way of celebrating anything. The Swedish midsummer is no different. We consume tons and gallons of both, while wearing homemade garlands and singing the numerous traditional schnapps songs. The only time we take a break from the eating and drinking is to dance around a pole in the ground, hopping around like a herd of frogs. To Swedes, this all makes total sense.

There are a lot of things that go into celebrating midsummer in Sweden. If you haven't had the chance to visit Sweden yet, you should definitely consider doing it. And especially in late June, so you can get a chance to experience this traditional spectacle. However, if you don't want to fly across the Atlantic Ocean for just another throbbing hangover, there is nothing preventing you from taking a crack at it with your own group of friends. So let this be your guide to the Swedish midsummer—to the food, drinks, songs, and dances for a night to remember (or not).

The Maypole and the Flower Garland—Two Midsummer Centerpieces

Midsummer is celebrated every year on the first Friday after the summer solstice and its traditions stem all the way back from the Middle Ages. Back then, Midsummer was celebrated to show appreciation for the gods and to ensure a generous harvest (Pergament). This is where the maypole comes in. Wrapped in branches, leaves, and flowers, the maypole was the offering that was supposed to appeal to the mercy of the gods. The structure itself is made up of two logs nailed to each other in the shape of a cross and often stands 20 feet tall over the ground. Today, Midsummer has lost all of its spirituality, but the maypole still remains. 

Another staple of the Swedish Midsummer is the flower garland. This iconic accessory is a must for getting that true Midsummer vibe. The garlands are made out of branches wrapped into a circle, which is then decorated with leaves and whatever flowers can be found in the gardens or in the fields. Some great choices of flowers are corn flower, red clover, wood cranes-bill, bindweed, bell-flower, and forget-me-not. 

Who’s Down for the Frog Dance?

After the maypole has been raised and the garlands have been decorated, it is time for dancing. Swedes love their traditional Midsummer ring-dances. Hand-in-hand, we dance around the maypole to a collection of rather ridiculous songs while doing the equally ridiculous dances that go along with them. On Midsummer everyone dances—the old as well as the young—and even the tough kids who are usually too cool to dance. The most classic song and dance is “Små grodorna,” or rather, “Little Frogs.” This song has everyone hopping around the maypole, making frog sounds and singing about little frogs (Hipple). It is quite a sight to see.

The Traditional Midsummer Feast

After the dancing, it’s finally time for what everyone has been waiting for—the eating and the drinking. The Midsummer dinner is composed of a range of Swedish specialties. Pickled herring, in a variety of different flavors, is a must have. My favorites are the mustard, the onion, and the “midsummer” flavored herring, but there are plenty more to choose from. The herring is best enjoyed in combination with boiled potatoes with dill, and a dip made of sour cream and fresh chives (Tidholm & Lilja). In addition to this, we also eat cured salmon and whatever you want to throw on the grill. For desert, the first strawberries of the summer, with cream, is the way to go. Eating strawberries in the sun is the ultimate sign of summer in Sweden.

As for the drinks, you really only have two options—beer and schnapps. Don’t try to show up to a Midsummer celebration with a bottle of wine—you will get laughed at. If you are a real Swede, you drink schnapps, and you drink loads of it. Schnapps, or aquavit, is made from potatoes and spiced with caraway, aniseed, and fennel ("Midsummer - Step by Step"). In my opinion it tastes great, but I also know that many people have to fight to get it down their throats. Every shot of schnapps is accompanied with a schnapps song, and the racier they are, the better. The most classic schnapps song is “Helan går,” which pretty much means “the whole thing goes” and is a reminder that you better finish the whole shot or you won’t get another one later. This song kind of sets the stage for the rest of the night and from this point and on, Midsummer is mostly experienced through a drunken haze. When you wake up the next morning, you will surely regret having taken that last schnapps, but it is all part of the fun. 

Below is a rather humorous, yet not entirely inaccurate interpretation of what a Swedish midsummer celebration could look like.

Works Cited

Hipple, Annika S. “Midsummer in Sweden: Origins and Traditions.” Real Scandinavia,

www.realscandinavia.com/midsummer-in-sweden-origins-and-traditions/.

“Midsummer - Step by Step.” Visit Sweden, www.visitsweden.com/midsummer-step-step/.

Pergament, Danielle. “A Midsummer Day’s Dream in Sweden.” The New York Times, 10 May

2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/travel/a-midsummer-days-dream-in-sweden.html.

Tidholm, Po, and Agneta Lilja. “Midsummer.” Sweden, 10 Jan. 2018,

www.sweden.se/culture-traditions/midsummer/.