Back in Civilisation 2 (or: Burning the Witch)

Last weekend we had our Danish midsummer celebrations. The 23rd of June is called Skt Hans, after Saint John, because John is called Johannes in Scandinavia, abbreviated to Hans; and because 'saint' is written as 'sankt' and abbreviates to 'skt', despite actually translating to 'helgen'. With me thus far?

So. We celebrate Skt Hans (ie. Saint John) with a midsummer party on the 23rd. Despite the fact that midsummer is really two days earlier and Saint John’s birthday is actually a day later. Obvious, isn’t it?

In order to show our true Scandinavian religiosity, we celebrate the saint by burning a witch on a bonfire. Afterwards we eat sausages.

This year I made the witch out of old clothes, sticks and egg cups and decorated her with some of my mum’s old (and very red) lipstick. She was a good two metres tall and looked suitably above-it-all in her lipstick and her suffering as the flames started licking her legs, while we all stood around the fire drinking red wine and enjoying the sight.

After the witch and the wine, we moved onto sausages, bread baked on the fire, and whisky. We finished the evening by roaring like an elk outside our guests’ caravan so they woke up again.

Good old Scandinavian traditions!