Copyright © 2006 Mats Persson, All Rights Reserved
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Midsommar, or midsummer as the celebration is called in English, is an old Swedish tradition. In Sweden Midsummer celebration originates from the time before Christianity, it was celebrated as a sacrifice time in the sign of the fertility. It is arguably the most important holiday of the year, and one of the most uniquely Swedish in the way it is celebrated, even if it has been influenced by other countries long ago. The main celebrations take place on the Friday, and the traditional events include raising and dancing around a huge maypole. One typical dance is the frog dance. Before the maypole is raised, greens and flowers are collected and used to cover the entire pole. The year's first potatoes, pickled herring, sour cream, and possibly the first strawberries of the season are on the menu. Drinking songs are also important at this feast, and many drink heavily. The cities become almost deserted as most people travel to the country, often to their summer cottages, to celebrate. Many Swedes would rather have Midsummer's Eve as their National Day. Midsummer rivals Christmas as the most important holiday of the year.
This pano is taken in the garden of my mother in law’s old farm house were me and my family spent the midsummer weekend.
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