Happy Midsummer!

On June 22 we celebrate midsummer eve in Sweden, which is the start of our prolonged weekend of Midsummer celebrations. This holiday is with out a doubt second only to Christmas in Sweden. I would also say it is the most popular as it comes without religious connotations, family pressure and financial strains.

Midsummer is a time for socializing with friends (and family members you like) while eating loads of mainly herring in hundreds of various tastes and mixes, swallowed down with any good snaps, akvavit or beer you can lay your hands on or wish to try out. For dessert the best - I think - is to keep it simple with fresh Swedish strawberries, a little sugar and lots of cream. Every time you drink a snaps you have to sing a silly song in unison with the others.

After the meal the natives (that´s us) and the youngest kids dance silly but quaint dances around some sort of midsummer pole that is erected nearby, not all beautiful but fully functional to dance around in circles. When the kids have been put to bed, you talk and laugh and enjoy yourself some more long into the night that never gets really dark.

I love midsummer in Sweden, but this year I will not be celebrating mainly because I haven´t really gotten my appetite back, cannot mix my medication with alcohol and don´t feel much for socializing just yet, besides the Second Pride Festival 2012 is starting and I want to cover it. Anyway, I would like to wish you all a 

Wonderful and Happy Midsummer

Let me share a secret. What I will do, like some other young - 42 isn't that old is it? - men and very many women is to pick 7 different kinds of flowers tomorrow night to put under my pillow so that I will hopefully dream of the man I am to marry in the future.


P.S. My buddy Apmel Goosson shows a video that can aid you in understanding My Avatar+s Name is Apmel; Midsummer For Dummies (but I don´t understand why they are telling you to have a BBQ - darn silly idea)