Swedish Wanderlust

With Midsommar just around the corner, let’s clear something up for my fellow Americans:

It’s not like the movie.

There’s no cult. No bear suits. No ritual sacrifice.

(Well, not unless you count mosquito blood.)

And no — I will not be flinging myself off a cliff, dancing into a fire, or adding… unmentionables to anyone’s food.

Midsommar is absolutely magical — and not in the horror-film way. Think flower crowns, bonfires, dancing around maypoles in full sun at 10 p.m., and eating an inappropriate number of herring-based dishes with people you just met.

What makes it extra special?

You’re doing all this in a place where people have celebrated the solstice for over a thousand years. The island’s ancient stone circles and Viking-age grave mounds weren’t just decoration — they were places where people watched the skies, honored the seasons, and probably got just as sun-drunk as we do now.

A few traditions you will encounter:

🌼 Making flower crowns (midsommarkrans)

🐸 Dancing like frogs around the maypole (don’t ask, just commit)

🥔 Eating potatoes, herring, and strawberry cake like your life depends on it

🍻 Drinking schnapps and singing songs about it

🔮 Picking seven flowers and putting them under your pillow to dream of your future love (Swedish Tinder, basically)

So yes, Midsommar is pagan in its roots. Yes, it’s outdoorsy and emotional and filled with folklore.

But it’s not a horror movie.

It’s a love letter to the light.

Swedish Word of the Day: Midsommar (noun) – Midsummer 🌞

(Definition: A celebration of light, love, and fertility.

Not a red flag-filled relationship retreat with a body count.)

Glad Midsommar! 🎉🌸🍓