Today is Valborgsmässoafton (or Walpurgis night) here in Sweden!

“Every year on the 30th of April Sweden is set ablaze in revelry of the emerging spring. The celebration known as Valborg causes communities throughout Sweden to unite in spirit and gather around massive bonfires, singing songs to welcome spring to these northern shores.

Historically Valborg is derived from the Viking fertility celebrations that took place around April 30th, where the arrival of spring was celebrated with bonfires at night. The actual purpose of the fires was to scare off witches and evil spirits. A practical use for the bonfires was also to scare off predators such as foxes before the livestock were let out to graze on May 1st.”

So happy Valborg to all you readers out there and enjoy the spring, god damn it! 🙂