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158 II. TH B Swedish PEOPLE.
century-long wars; on the other hand, the generally spread art of reading and the
awakened desire of knowledge, give a moral elevation which is not to be found
in a people less favoured in this respect.
It has been hinted above that the Swede likes to »make a great show» on
festive occasions. In every-day life, the way of living is, on the contrary,
generally very plain, among the poorer population, during hard times, not seldom
full of privations. The greatest festival of the year is Christmas, which is
probably observed for a longer time and more thoroughly than in any other
country. The yule preparations often last whole weeks, and not only aim at
obtaining as much outer cleanliness and comfort in the home as possible, but
also at providing a rich supply of all kinds of food and drink, so that the feast
itself may, to the greatest possible extent, be a time of enjoyment and repose.
Ancient National Garb tcorn in Ingelstad, Skåne. Preserved in the Northern
Museum in Stockholm.
The best known of our Christmas customs is the use of the Christmas-tree, which,
however, has become more general only during the last fifty years, and has
not yet reached the peasantry. Early on Christmas morning, all gather in the
church, which is then brilliantly lighted; the journey thither through the dark
winter-morning (the way often having to be lighted by torches — at least, so it
was formerly) — not seldom succeeded by a racing drive home, is a pleasure
which neither young nor old willingly forsakes. Amongst the minor popular
feasts may be named, Walpurgis Night (the night after the 30th of April), which
formerly was kept in many places by lighting large bonfires, and Midsummer
(June 23rd and 24th), a favourite festival in Sweden, which is celebrated by
decorating houses, ships, and vehicles with young birch-trees, and during which
everybody tries, as far as possible, to spend the whole day in the open air.
Amongst the festivities of family-life, wedding was formerly celebrated
with extraordinary preparations, which nowadays, however, are becoming plainer
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