Celebrate St. Hansaften

It's that time again! Amy B. has a great post about Midsummer/St. Hansaften!

Midsummer is soon here. I know this—even without the aid of a calendar—because it’s hard to get enough sleep these days. The sun sets later each evening, and my room-darkening shades and Sleepytime tea just aren’t enough to trick my body into getting tired when I should. Do I sound like I’m grumbling? I don’t mean to. I love this time of year, when, despite our schedules, to-do lists and best intentions, we are humbled by the forces of nature. I’m reminded of a favorite song, “Vi Skal Ikkje Sove,” by Auslaug Lygre and Geirr Tveitt:

Vi skal ikkje sova bort sumarnatta,
ho er for ljos til det.
Då skal vi vandra isaman ute,
under dei lauvtunge tre.

We won’t sleep away the summer night,
it’s too light for that.
We’ll wander instead together
under the trees, heavy with leaves.

Midsummer, or St. Hansaften as it is called in Norway, is celebrated on the evening of June 23, with bonfires late into the night. There’s an old custom for a girl to pick seven types of flowers and sleep with them under her pillow, in order to dream of her future husband. Many celebrations include eating rømmegrøt and toasting the summer night with friends.

In North America, many Sons of Norway lodges and communities host midsummer celebrations. Check Sons of Norway event listings or your local community calendars to find a celebration new you. Or plan your own midsummer gathering with family or friends using the recipes in our “Celebrate Summer” feature, found in the June issue of Viking. Skål!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minnesota, where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585. Amy is a Nordic folk music enthusiast, and when she’s not working or parenting, she can often be found making music with friends.





Bonfire photo by Doug Bratland