Happy May Day

Three years ago we were privileged to be in Sweden visiting relatives on one of their biggest national holidays. It is also the King of Sweden's birthday so we went to his birthday celebration in Sweden. Awesome. He is in the picture above and was accepting flowers from children. Seeing the military band play and their horses display their stuff was also great. My one cousin Inger had never seen the King in person so she was sort of jealous as she wasn't there that day. The Prince is holding the flowers. We were able to see the whole family.

May day in Sweden is a day to have big bonfires and sing National songs so.....we went to the biggest fire in Stockholm at Skansen (not sure that is the spelling) and we will never forget that. It was a perfect trip perfectly planned by accident. I had help from the relations but being able to arrive in time for these events in Stockholm made for a really great trip. We told everyone at home we were going to Sweden to participate in pagan celebrations.....not really. I did enjoy the choir singing National Songs and still wish I could get a copy of these songs.

We are planning to have our own fires today in our yard. The practical side to these fires in Sweden is that neighbors would combine their yard waste and make a big bonfire and of course they would have a party and eat and spend time together. The kids are very excited about doing this but I think it will be just our family unless any readers want to join us. Anyone is welcome to show up. There will most likely be two fires with one for cooking on. Yum, yum.

The most hilarious thing about that day which a cousin emphatically insisted was NOT a Swedish custom, were these men and boys dressed in peasant garb who......ran or rode up to a May Day gate thingie and would......try to beat a cat out of a barrel. It was a stuffed cat but they said they used to use real cats. Hmmmmmmm.........not my ancestors although there are Norwegians on my mother's side.....hmmmmmmm.......

I was not able to get the pictures to post as I wanted them too but of course you are all brilliant enough to figure it out. I hope you all get out and clean your yards and roast some doggies, hamburgers and if you have some Scandinavian blood how about fish. Enjoy!!!!