Floral crowns, frog dances and rolling naked in the grass. Here’s why summer solstice is a big deal in Sweden.
Perhaps you’ve seen the viral YouTube clip of the Hollywood actress Alicia Vikander explaining to talk show host Jimmy Kimmel what Swedish Midsummer is all about . Or maybe you’ve just heard that the summer solstice is kind of a big deal in Scandinavia. Well, it is. And while all of the Nordic nations, as well as some Eastern European ones, celebrate the longest day of the year in different ways, the Swedes do it best.
“Last year we had around 28,000 visitors on Midsummer Eve alone,” she says. “The record is 35,000. People look forward to these celebrations all year. Families turn up first thing in the morning to take part in the child-friendly activities, and we then have a steady stream of people coming to enjoy the dances.” Myths and legends Undeniably, Midsummer still instills a sense of wonder and awe, even if your average Swede no longer tends to roll around naked in the morning dew.
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