Yesterday I got to experience Midsummer celebrations! This is the most important holiday in Sweden, except for maybe Christmas. I wasn't really sure what it was, but Karin showed me this great video a few days before hand to prepare me. And it was actually pretty well spot on! (I was glad she had prepped me, otherwise I might have thought OMG WHAT!? At some of the things we did...)
After a bit of work in the morning, we went to farmor and farfar's (grandma and grandpa) house for lunch. I tried pickled herring for the first time, as well as a potato dish with herring in it. And some new potatoes, yum! There was also bread and meatballs and mini sausages. To finish it off we had Swedish strawberries and ice cream for dessert!
We came home and got the hay wagon decorated and guests started showing up. Then we got to drive into Hamra in style on the wagon! In Hamra the whole community gathered to put up the Maypole. A small band came in and we sang songs and danced around the Maypole (yes I did dance like a frog)! After catching up with all of the neighbours we went back home.
We were served a delicious two course supper, the first course a repeat of lunch, and the second course some awesome barbecued meat and more new potatoes (seriously my new favourite vegetable..) and salad! We sang songs and raised our glasses for Skål (cheers) and spent the rest of the night chatting with good company. Some of the friends stayed over in trailers that they brought. (The legal limit for driving is only 0.02, so basically nothing.. and what fun is it to stay sober for the biggest party of the year!?)
Today we went out to lunch at the local place by the sea with some of the friends that had stayed over. I had the best smoked salmon ever, and some (guess what, awesome) new potatoes!
Overall, my first Midsummer experience has been great. I hope to celebrate it again, whether in Canada, or back here in Sweden!
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