I attended a Midsummer celebration at Hägnan. This was a great opportunity to take part in the Swedish culture during my exchange. There were loads of fun traditional Midsummer activities to attend. I especially liked binding my own wreath, dressing and raising the Midsummer pole and the guided tour about Swedish Midsummer traditions.
A big part of Midsummer is too dance around the midsummer pole. One dance that is very peculiar is ”små grodorna”. If you want to find out in advance about typical dances google "små grodorna", and rehearse a bit. Otherwise, let yourself be surprised! The dances can be learned quickly and are even more fun in the company of many good-humored people!
I also had a stroll thorough the market with several stalls with different traditional Swedish food. A fika is a must, but I also tried grilled herring, prepared in a Swedish manner and baked potatoes.
If the weather isn`t that good: No problem! According to Swedish folklore, nature has magical powers on Midsummer. For example, women used to pick flowers, to put them under their pillow. In the following night, they would dream of their future husband. Our tour guide assures us: Magical powers were also ascribed to the rain.
