Midsummer, Valborg ?

Hey bloggers !

When I was in Sweden I discovered how they celebrate Christmas so i kept asking my sister about other traditions. For example in Australia we celebrate Halloween and I found out that swedes does the same thing but they call it “alla helgon” and if you translate that it’s the same as “all hallowes”. In both Australia and Sweden we go trick or treat but for the grown ups in Sweden it’s more usual that people visit a grave yard and put candles on the graves of some one they miss that’s passed away. I really think that is a nicer gesture than go and ask your neighbors for candy. Even though I understand children because Halloween was one of my favourite holidays most because I got so much candy that I became sick the next day.
Anyway, in sweden they have something called “midsommar” and the translation is midsummer. This is like christmas in the summer except there’s often no gifts. The swedes eat much food like, herring, potatoes, meet balls, herring sallad, candy and drink sodas. I’d never heard of this holiday before I came here. Then many families gather and they dance together in a ring around a pole shaped like a cross full with flowers and sing “little frogs” which I, by the way, won’t join because it looks redicullus!
Another holiday is called “valborg”, that I can’t translate, but what they do is do put together a big bon-fire and shoot away rockets. It reminds about new years eve but this tradition is actually the last of april. Families eat dinner and then go to look at the nearest bon-fire, the teenagers go out and meet their friends and party ! The reason why we in Australia don’t have this much holidays is because we’re not that religious. We stick to Christmas, new year,

Well, I better stop writing before I get cramp in my fingers, good night and sleep tight !