Reader's Digest - USA (2019-08)

apicnicblanket,asingle-usegrill

anda messywreathofwildf lowers.

PlayingSwedishlawngamesingood

companybeneathclearblueskies

wascelebrationenoughtomarkthe

passageintosummerandwelcome

theabundantdaylightthathadfinal-

lyreturnedtoSwedenaftermonths

cloaked in darkness.

IngridK.Williams

BoatFestival

PORTSOY,SCOTLAND

JUNE20-21

Historicfishingboatsandcompet-

itivesailingteamswillsailintothe

annual Scottish Traditional Boat

Midsummer

inSweden

JUNE 20

Midsummer,acelebrationof the
summersolstice,isoneofthemost
importantholidaysontheSwedish
calendar.Festivitiescommenceon
Midsummer’sEve– June 20 in2020.
Historianstracemidsummercele-
brationstopaganfestivals,butmost
moderntraditionssolidifiedlast
cent u r y.
Therearespecificdishestobe
served– newpotatoes,pickledher-
ring,strawberries–andsongsto
besung,including‘SmåGrodorna’
(‘TheLittleFrogs’),whichinvolves
hoppingaroundamaypole.
Traditionalistsdustofftheir
folkcostumes,andf lowers
aretiedintocolourfulmid-
summercrowns.
Beerf lowsfreelyandfood
coursesarepunctuatedby
shotsof ice-coldaquavit
accompaniedby raucous
drinkingsongs,calledsnaps-
visor. Theonlyabsolutemust
at midsummeris nature.
Thoseunabletoretreatto
thecountrysidecanjoinpub-
liccelebrationsincityparks
orthethree-dayfestivalat
Skansen,anopen-airmuse-
umandzooinStockholm.
I once spent a dreamy
Midsummer’s Eve in a
Stockholmparkwith only

READER’S DIGEST

112 Augus t 2019