Midsummer – a tradition and a long weekend in Sweden after or on the 21st of June, the longest day of the year.

Originally I was supposed to travel this weekend, but life had other plans. I stayed home instead and didn’t go to the country side either, since the weather wasn’t that great (or – typical for Midsummer, in other words).

A lot of free time all of a sudden! Luxury! Lots of it spent on the Brit’s Brexit decision yesterday, but that is another story.

I started yesterday with a run around town of about 5k.
During that run I realised how similar Midsummer in Sweden is to Christmas in Sweden. Just warmer, although not necessarily. There have been years with the same temperature like 7 plus on both, Christmas Eve and Midsummer Eve. Greener, though, and definitely loads of light obviously.

Anyway, the town was empty. Silent and empty, just like after 3pm on Christmas Eve, when everybody watches Donald Duck. I saw the occasional group of family members meeting and greeting, with bags containing small gifts and definitely some beer and wine. But that was it. And the situation didn’t change much during the day. A very small amount of traffic. Few people about.
Thinking about it, during the entire eight years I  have been living in Sweden, I always spent Midsummer somewhere else. Either travelling, or with family and friends, or at least on the country side where it is quiet anyway.

So it took me eight years to realise how very similar these two feasts actually are. Apart from the amount of light and green in nature. It is even largely the same sort of food, you knew that, didn’t you?

Well, I continue enjoying my nice, quiet and relaxing long weekend in Norrköping then.

Wishing you a good one! 🙂