Day 26- MIDSUMMER! Leksand, Sweden

Day 26 – Midsummer Eve

Midsommarafaton – next to Jul (Christmas), it’s the biggest holiday in Sweden.  And Diane and I are spending it in the heart of the most traditional province in Sweden (Dalarna), in the village of Leksand.  I was 20 years old the first time I experienced Midsummer in Leksand; Diane is 21. 

We are staying at the beautiful 1906 resort retreat called Korstappans Herrgard.  Our room is on the third floor (no elevators back in 1906) and overlooks the stately entry.  Blackout curtains will be needed tonight – only about 4 hours of dusky darkness.  When I spent my first Midsommer in Leksand back in 1974, about 2,000 people were there.  Tonight we’re getting ready to celebrate the summer solstice with about 20,000 Swedes and visitors!  Earlier today we visited the Leksand Knackabrod factory and saw how the cripsbread is made.  Very interesting!  We’ve just eaten a traditional Midsummer smorgasbord in the dining room and we need to leave at 6pm - I’ll write when we return – En Glad Midsommar!

What a night (or day depending upon your perspective).  Parked the car near Lake Sjilian and walked to the bridge which crosses this beautiful lake.  Within 30 minutes, the 3 church longboats were seen with all on board rowing in unison.  Since it was easier to get around in a boat than traipse through the woods (back in the day), the long boats served as a major way to make it to church on time.  The first two boats hold about 20 folks each, all dressed in the traditional folk costumes of Leksand. and they (along with pulling on oars about 20 feet long) are transporting the various birch-branch covered rings, hearts and ornaments that are hung on Sweden’s “longest majstang” (maypole).  The hearts that hang on the maypole are large enough that 4 people can stand behind them and then are actually rolled on small dolly.  The third boat holds the costumed musicians – fiddlers a-plenty!

Upon landing, they proceed up the bank and slowly walk across the bridge with much singing and music, made more interesting by the gentle rain that started to fall.  Everyone falls in behind them (all 20,000 of us), and we proceed to the large bowl that makes such a spectacular location for the raising of the majstang.

Diane and I counted about 45 men who used 6 sets of various length wooden poles to lift that majstang upright.  Took 45 minutes and an incredible amount of Swedish muscle.  Then the dancing begins.  If you are not Swedish, the sight is actually pretty amazing.  Adults jumping around like animals to songs they have sung since they were small children.  Pretending to wash and hang up the laundry on the clothesline.  Don’t ask.  Just participate.  Everyone understands Swedish on Midsommar!  Take a look at the YouTube from 2009: CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT WE MEAN LOL!

Then there are the blue men running around the hillside with their blue and gold striped suits waving the Swedish flag like madmen.  All part of the fun.  Singing, folk dancing…good times!  Forget that we were soaked – it rained for 3 hours straight, but did not cause the crowd to diminish one bit!  We’re back home now, warm from a hot shower.  Diane is going to pick 7 different kinds of wildflowers tonight to put them under her pillow.   If she does so tonight on Midsummer Eve, she may very well dream about her future spouse.  Midsummer magic!