Nordic History has always interested me, and especially the ancient Nordic and heathen traditions. In many places in Sweden is celebrated this weekend by burning pyres and in some places with fireworks and firecrackers. May Day Fire should not be confused with a fire that warns of war. In heathen times was celebrated in the Nordic countries an older festival that was connected to the dead. The boundary between the living and the dead were considered to be weakest during this very night.

Most Swedes celebrate May Day Eve but undertakes no celebration of holy celebrations. May Day Celebration is being used as the symbol of spring and the light, hence the celebration goes further back than Christianity, when it won the distribution in the Nordic countries, established the links with the old celebrations. Fires were lit initially not to scare off witches, but to burn the old and make way for the new. To make room for the new fit also into the Christian interpretation of life where the Easter theme from death to life also symbolically was portrayed in the May Day fire. The custom of celebrating different våreldar has thus bottom of both Christian and heathen traditions. When Sweden became Christian in the 1000′s built some of the Christian churches of the old religion’s solemn places, and also tied in with the current celebrations.

This evening is excellent for leaving the old and make room for the new. I will think back over the past year’s positive developments and leave the things that do not develop myself further. The positive events with my family, friends and colleagues will give me strength, inspiration and energy into the coming year. This creates the dynamics of change for me.