VALBORG

The year our first born baby was born — as one does in Sweden — we wrapped up our baby and pushed our him in his baby buggy to the local park to see the neighborhood Valborg Bonfire. Once there, my maternal alerts buzzed into high:  my instincts were to flee, as you could feel the heat from the less-than-ordinary-bonfire from a distance.

After watching and warming, I did reluctantly step a little closer to the edge of the singing circle of kids and families; watched the fire and listened to the traditional Swedish children’s songs. Every one looking on, had the feeling of this post card about them (click here).

Many years later …. it’s still a holiday that’s not from my childhood but, we sing and attended a Valborg Fire every year and we all look forward to it. (I do more , now, that the kids are no longer running toddlers!)  Like many, we grill out with friends and then, walk on down to the Valborg Fire.  I do, however, maintain a foreigner’s distance and humility to the flames. Honestly: can you believe how massive these bon fires are? Although the boys enthusiastically gather sticks (which is over 1/2 of their fun)  —- as you can see above, other kids are run close to the flames — I encourage any stick tossing only before the start of the flame! The kids have already been working new angles this morning about that kindling we can take with and are asking if we could take our dry, old, Christmas Tree to add the the pile, because “after all, someone added a chair last year!” True.