Midsummer!

[lxdude]

It's strange that some people (mainly in the US) consider June 21st to be the start of summer. So if mid summer is the 24th, summer is only six days long!

Steve.

That's because we think of summer as "the hot season", and it starts warming up around now, and the hottest days are over by late September. That's how I look at it, anyway.

[Q.G.]

That's because we think of summer as "the hot season", and it starts warming up around now, and the hottest days are over by late September. That's how I look at it, anyway.

Yes. I do too.

It obviously still is mid-point nonetheless, between days getting longer and days getting shorter.
Not as significant as the winter solstice, which marks the changeover from nature dying to nature reviving.
But still something to mark.
And a good opportunity to have a celebration should never be allowed to go to waste.

[JPD]

I'm too lazy to celebrate midsommar this year.

My parents, sisters and their boyfriends are at our summer home, celebrating with gravlax, sill, potatis, sallader, öl and akvavit*, playing kubb while the dog is having fun hunting mice... and I'm sitting here at the computer, eating microwave meals. :rolleyes: But I've bought cigars to enjoy during the weekend. I don't drink alcohol.

*salt-cured salmon, pickled atlantic herring, potatoes, salads, beer and akvavit

Nothing christian with the way we celebrate midsummer. No special rituals except for the maypole, food and alcohol.

Trevlig midsommar!

[Q.G.]

I'm too lazy to celebrate midsommar this year.

Well shame on you!
Just for that, i'll treat myself to some more ice cream! :o

[JPD]

Well shame on you!
Just for that, i'll treat myself to some more ice cream! :o

Now you got me planning on going through my parents freezer for ice cream. It's in the middle of the night, but they live close to me and aren't home...

[Erik Petersson]

That's because we think of summer as "the hot season", and it starts warming up around now, and the hottest days are over by late September. That's how I look at it, anyway.

In Sweden, and probably Finland too, summer is about both light and warm weather. I've spent midsummer in Germany once, but it just felt like August. Too dark.

[Mats_A]

Mats, if I visit during Midsummer, can I be an honorary Finn?

This sounds like my kinda holiday!

You are welcome. We will show you all the pagan rites, drink Akvavit, eat herring and take pictures in the middle of the night whithout flash.

r

Mats

[Q.G.]

Now you got me planning on going through my parents freezer for ice cream. It's in the middle of the night, but they live close to me and aren't home...

And? Did you?

[Q.G.]

In Sweden, and probably Finland too, summer is about both light and warm weather. I've spent midsummer in Germany once, but it just felt like August. Too dark.

I absolutely love the artic summers up in northern Europe, the very prolonged dawns and dusk. Absolutely beautiful light (also due to the very clean air you have up there), in beautiful countries, inhabited by very friendly people.

But i also like the sultry summernights more to the south. Darkness has a thing going for it too.
Dark and cold - that's another thing. Unless the cold is a cold drink (or some ice cream) to help pass the hot, dark nights away.

[Erik Petersson]

One of the most popular radio summer hits up here in Sweden goes "summer is short, and rainy anyway. The sun may still shine for only one day." Still we need summer so much after that long winter. You could say that our summers balance on the fine line between wish and reality, and therefore have something magical about them.

They very much differ from the summers in the south, which are so concrete.