Nordic Traditions Of The Past And Present
The sturdy people of Northern Europe, descendants of those who tamed, settled and thrived in an often brutal climate and unforgiving geography, know the importance of celebrating with loved ones and the community. From small events like births and weddings to large parties like May Day, life is to be shared and enjoyed. These celebrations are not only a break from oftentimes hard physical labor of daily life, but also a time to reflect on time passed and plan for times to come.
The Christmas season is a favorite for most of the Western world and many of the traditions associated with it have roots deep within Nordic culture. Christmas coincides with the winter solstice which, as the shortest day of the year, begins the countdown to spring and the return of the sun’s light. When the Nordic countries became Christian, they melded their ancient traditions gracefully into the new religion and many of them were embraced by the world. Evergreen trees were brought into homes and decorated with food, clothes and runes to entice the spirits to come back in spring and wreaths were orginally fire wheels set alight to cheer on the return of the sun. Holly, mistletoe and the Yule log are other familiar signs of the season that predate Christmas but are nontheless an indelible part of it.
Half a year later it’s time to celebrate the summer solstice on June 22. It’s the longest day of the year and it is to be savored for the darkness of winter is just around the corner. It’s a time for feasting on the best of the season and enjoying swims in cold arctic lakes. The custom of taking a sauna with friends is a fitting way to embark on the upcoming season while enjoying the right now.