Written by Jaden Parker

Now, when you think of Midsummer Day, you may immediately think of the psychological thriller, Midsommar, with Florence Pugh; but we are talking about the European festival celebrating the start of summer!

Celebrated yearly on a Friday in June, Midsummer Eve falls on June 23rd this year. The festivities commemorate the summer solstice (June 21st) and the season of fertility. In northern Sweden, the sun doesn’t set during June, so the revelry goes on well into Midsummer Day. The 23rd is the exact halfway mark between the planting and harvest seasons. Midsummer Day is enjoyed mainly in Finland and Sweden where it’s recognized as a national holiday, but Latvia, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, Greece, Poland, and even Britain have their own little festivals. 

Latvians eat bacon pie, Estonians jump over bonfires to remove bad luck for the year, and Italians in Rome consume snails to protect themselves from the devil. Lithuanians wash their faces with the morning dew of Midsummer Day, the Greek hike Mt. Olympus, and Polish girls make wreaths that float down the Wisla River, waiting to be chosen by their future husbands. Finally, you’ll find British folks throwing a party at Stonehenge. 

For the Finns and Swedes, there are a multitude of fun traditions they participate in. An authentic Swedish Midsummer has food like pickled herring, grilled salmon, and strawberries with cream. They light bonfires, called “kokkos,” to ward off bad spirits. The raucous behavior, in the past, was believed to drive away spirits, too. In Helsinki, people have brought back the raising of the maypole and doing traditional folk dances. It’s tradition for a young lady to put seven different flowers under her pillows on the night of Midsummer eve in hopes her future husband will appear in her dreams. (Looks like you’ll find me rooting through my mother’s garden for flowers this Midsummer eve!) Nighttime swims in Finland are also quite common. 

So, whether you’re hosting your own mini solstice celebration or are reading from a summerhouse in Sweden at the moment, remember to enjoy the beautiful weather and embrace what Cupid may bring your way. 

Check out this video to know more!

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