Celebrate | Midsommar

I spent the summer of 2012 in Skovde, Sweden, a small town an hour north of Gothenburg. I was there to coach and play softball for the Skovde Saints, a community-based team that competed against other community teams throughout the summer. While there, I enjoyed long summer days of 20+ hours of sunlight. I was invited to celebrate Midsommar (Midsummer) at my coach's house, and I fell in love with this holiday immediately.

My grandma's parents came to America from Sweden before she was born, so it was really special to celebrate my Swedish heritage. The holiday captures the feeling of an American Thanksgiving in that people typically spend it with friends and family in the countryside, but it's a 12+ hour long party! People typically gather around 2pm, enjoy a cookout of meats, herring, other desserts, and they sing songs, do dances, take shots, and play games. It's a joyous day!

I brought the holiday back State-side, and now I'd consider it a signature party of mine. I invite all my friends to meet me on the banks of the Charles River or another outdoor space, I make a few Swedish treats, bring some fun summer drinks, and we make flower crowns. We had a fun time enjoying the sunshine (until it poured!), catching up with friends, and wearing our crowns.