Midsummer you say…. I´l drink to that.

Few traditional celebrations are so wrapped up in mystery and misconceptions as the Swedish midsummer celebrations, and while it is most definitely a pre-Christian ritual it has by now turned in to something that is as close to holy as we have. From the traditional feast (and I do mean traditional, it is the same for every celebration, be it Easter, Christmas or… well… anyone.) to the dancing and obligatory consumption of flavored spirits. Oh and let´s not forget the maypole, that big leafy and somewhat dick shaped thing we show in to the earth. Now if we did that back in late april early may the whole “impregnating the earth” thing would make more sense, but hey if it get people to love each other, and make love to each other with a bit more passion on this very day people can believe whatever they want. I am a strong advocate for love, no matter what shape or form it comes in as long as it is consensual. Now since it is a celebration and I live here in Sweden we all know what comes next… .. . People, I am not going to tell you not to drink. That is up to you and I trust you are an adult capable of making your own decisions. But what I do ask is that you take a few minutes to reflect on how your future actions might affect others and what your intentions are. Because even if you have no problem with people being drunk of their face and breaking every social code our society ever invented others might now. So adapt your alcohol consumption to your company… Or if that cannot be achieved, you company to your consumption.

Any way beyond that I really enjoy midsummer as it have this very free spirit and is not burdened with the stigma of death and angst that most other celebrations we have are. It is just life, pure and simple. Now I have of course the singular luck of coming from a well-adjusted home and thus have no real traumas connected to midsummer but I know that not everyone is as lucky. But if you stand barefoot on a patch of grass, with the warm summer evening slowly darkening and just take a few deep breaths it is not hard to understand why this day is by many considered to be just a little bit magical.

So enjoy your herring and your potatoes, strawberries and cream and for the heck of it enjoy your drink too. Simply… Enjoy.

This is Tomas and that was all for this time.