The First of Many
Swedes like to mark the occasion on the evening between the 30th of April and the 1st of May during a holiday called Valborgsmässoafton. Apparently it is celebrated throughout a few European countries and its meaning varies according to several factors, including location and religious myth. Here, many people commemorate by burning bonfires or fireworks, this tradition being linked to the concept of light and spring, the very literal symbol of " burning the old and making room for the new ". Personally, I was quite fond of that idea... Our celebrating didn't involve starting any fires, but it sure had plenty of light, fresh air and nature. We went to a friend's house to have an outdoor barbecue and it was a most magical evening. I got to feed sheep for the first time in my life, enjoy delicious food and be in the forest again. Couldn't really ask for anything better from this experience, which was the first in many ways. My heart fluttered for the entire ti...