Swedish national day today – who cares.

Outdoor with a coffee from my thermos, drawing in my sketchbook
Outdoor with a coffee from my thermos, drawing in my sketchbook

Swedish national day today – who cares. After all, we just got the day, basically, in 1983.

So what’s to celebrate really. After all, we have had over 1000 years to come up with the day, so why now? Everyone invented a reason that sounded flashy enough as a reason to have a day. It´s been debated the reason, and it is still debated. Was it the King Gustav Vasa? Or was it the Kalmar Union? – who cares! But I guess it was decided to have a national day instead of a Swedish flag day, with the king standing on a stage at Skansen, Djurgården, giving flags on a pole, to various groups. Like the Scouts.

And why. Sweden was recognised by Roman emperor Tacitus year 98. And mentioned a 1000 years ago as “Swēorice”, in the Beowulf story.  The tribe of people we today spell “Svear”.

Is this a reason to celebrate our national day? – Most probably not!

Most Swedes today, would still claim the true national day to be “Midsommar(Midsummer in english). A day when everyone dreams of blue sky, sun and dreamlike stories and flower crowns on their heads – but everyone knows it’s probably going to rain and be cold like shit that day, and not shine and be warm. At least not in the Capital. So better dancing like frogs waving your hands, while singing around a flower dressed tall pole, with round rings on the top sides. (Maypole)

One could also be gloomy about the thing, and say a national day is a reason why people go to war. And Sweden sure have fought many wars, gruesome wars, despite popular belief.

But I wont. I like my country. It´s a nice country to live in after all.

Well, better to have a day than no day.

Ps. Bella, she just like to eat green grass, regardless of day. Have a great national day!

BellaEating-greenGrass

Stefan Lindblad
Just a regular swede.
Oh, and an illustrator, artist and graphic designer by profession

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