[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-661009-105":59,"doc-detail-661009-en":124},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":117,"head_meta":119,"extra_data":121,"updated_unix":123},105,"en","the-history-of-midsommar-celebrating-swedish-midsummer-traditions","THE HISTORY OF MIDSOMMAR - Celebrating Swedish Midsummer Traditions","","Celebrating Midsommar as one of Sweden’s most popular holidays, this text traces origins to pre-Christian pagan rituals welcoming summer, the fertility season, and the summer solstice. It describes midsummer festivals lasting at least 500 years, including decorating homes with foliage, raising maypoles, and dancing. Customs covered include gathering herbs, bonfires believed to ward off evil spirits, magical midsummer water and dew, flower traditions, and typical foods served during celebrations.",{"@graph":69,"@context":116},[70,84,99],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":15,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/literature/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-history-of-midsommar-celebrating-swedish-midsummer-traditions/661009/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"author":86,"headline":65,"publisher":89,"fileFormat":92,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":93,"datePublished":93,"encodingFormat":92,"isAccessibleForFree":94,"interactionStatistic":95},"DigitalDocument",{"name":87,"@type":88},"SALUTone","Person",{"url":74,"name":90,"@type":91},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-28",true,{"@type":96,"interactionType":97,"userInteractionCount":4},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":98},"ViewAction",{"@type":100,"mainEntity":101},"FAQPage",[102,108,112],{"name":103,"@type":104,"acceptedAnswer":105},"When did Midsommar festivals begin in Sweden and what early purpose did they serve?","Question",{"text":106,"@type":107},"Midsummer festivals in Sweden have been around for at least 500 years. They are presented as an ancient practice linked to pagan rituals welcoming summer, fertility, and the summer solstice.","Answer",{"name":109,"@type":104,"acceptedAnswer":110},"What is the role of the maypole (majstång) in Midsommar celebrations?",{"text":111,"@type":107},"The maypole is described as a centerpiece for music and dancing. The text notes early medieval references and explains that it is decorated with flowers and greens to emphasize the growing season.",{"name":113,"@type":104,"acceptedAnswer":114},"Which traditions and beliefs are associated with magic, water, and flowers during Midsommar?",{"text":115,"@type":107},"The text claims midsummer is the time when magic is strongest, including beliefs about magical dew and healing water. It also describes flower crowns and the custom of picking 7 (or 9) flowers to dream about a future spouse.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":118,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":90,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":120,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":122,"site_id":62},661009,1793155567,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":125},{"doc_id":122,"user_id":126,"nickname":87,"user_avatar":127,"doc_module":4,"category_id":14,"category_name":15,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":128,"file_id":129,"file_url":130,"file_type":131,"file_size":132,"view_count":4,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":133,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":134,"faqs":135,"seo_title":136,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":123,"read_time":81},5909897206756,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/5600152dbe4a7e99502?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1792654152478566863","THE HISTORY OF MIDSOMMAR  \nCelebrating Midsommar, one of the two most popular holidays in Sweden – the other being Christmas – is a very ancient practice, dating back to pre-Christian times. It has its roots in Pagan rituals to welcome summer and the season of fertility. In Sweden, midsummer festivals have been around for at least 500 years. Even in agrarian times, people in Sweden welcomed summertime by decorating their houses and farm tools with foliage and raising tall May poles to dance around. It was the time to put the cows out to pasture and begin milking.  \nThough there are some variations in the interpretation of its origin, all seem to agree that it is linked to the summer solstice, the year’s longest day and the fact that warm weather and the growing season have begun.  \nHowever, Midsommar did not become the most Swedish of all traditional festivities until the 1900s. And today, the rituals are certainly even more widespread. There are several customs associated with Midsommar that have been around a long, long time and still continue today.  \nThe maypole or majstång is an example. The earliest mention of the maypole in Sweden is from the Middle Ages. And some say the maypole has its roots in German Paganism. Continental countries in medieval times already had early summer celebrations and the tradition of a maypole. It was part of the May Day celebration in ancient Rome and medieval France and Germany. Perhaps the German merchants coming to Sweden brought the custom with them. But remember the practice was to decorate the maypole with flowers and greens to emphasize the onset of the growing  \nseason. However, May is a little early for flowers and a lot of greens in Sweden, so some think the tradition was just delayed a bit …until June…when the weather is better. Thus the term for the maypole or “majstång is now more commonly referred to as the midsommarstång, or midsummer pole.  \nTo decorate with greens was called “att maya”(to May) and may have something to do with the origin of the word maystång. No matter the origin of the name of the pole, decorating and raising the midsommarstång provides the centerpiece for much music and dancing to be enjoyed.  \nGathering herbs is another tradition because of the belief that herbs are at their peak potency during this time, so gathering them and storing them up to be used to cure people in the coming year is important.  \nThe tradition of bonfires linked with midsummer celebrations were popular around Europe dating back to the 6th century. It is still a strong tradition in some of the Scandinavian countries and in some areas of Sweden. It is believed the fire chases away witches and evil spirits but also warms, or “awakes,” the ground for encouraging a good growing season.  \nMidsommar is the time when magic is the strongest. Water can be magical. Some have believed that the midsummer dew has magical powers to cure diseases and water from springs could have healing power. (This being a reminder of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan. )  \nFlowers are an important part of the traditions. Flower crowns or wreaths are worn by women and children. Long ago it was believed that everything that grew contained special magic powers.  \nThen there is the tradition of the 7 (or 9) flowers. Young women are to pick 7 or 9 different flowers and put them under their pillow on Midsommar night and they will surely dream of their future spouse. It has been said,“Nowadays the young women drive to a Midsommar dance and decide for themselves who their partners will be.”  \nThere are traditional songs   like the children’s “Små grodorna ar lustiga att se” The little frogs are funny to watch.  \nCertain foods are typically served at Midsommar – herring of various kinds, new potatoes cooked with dill and served with sour cream and chives, fresh strawberries and cream. It is also typical to serve schnapps and cold beer.  \nIt should also be mentioned that historically in some of the Scandi","cbCaiqVzibLV1qo9","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqVzibLV1qo9","pdf",215918,"English","# The Origins of Midsommar\n## Ancient roots and seasonal meaning\n## The maypole and naming traditions\n## Herbs, bonfires, and midsummer magic\n## Flowers, songs, and foods\n## Relationship with St John’s Day and modern dating","[{\"question\":\"When did Midsommar festivals begin in Sweden and what early purpose did they serve?\",\"answer\":\"Midsummer festivals in Sweden have been around for at least 500 years. They are presented as an ancient practice linked to pagan rituals welcoming summer, fertility, and the summer solstice.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the role of the maypole (majstång) in Midsommar celebrations?\",\"answer\":\"The maypole is described as a centerpiece for music and dancing. The text notes early medieval references and explains that it is decorated with flowers and greens to emphasize the growing season.\"},{\"question\":\"Which traditions and beliefs are associated with magic, water, and flowers during Midsommar?\",\"answer\":\"The text claims midsummer is the time when magic is strongest, including beliefs about magical dew and healing water. It also describes flower crowns and the custom of picking 7 (or 9) flowers to dream about a future spouse.\"}]","THE HISTORY OF MIDSOMMAR - Celebrating Swedish Midsummer Traditions | PDF"]