Editing May Day
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=== Sweden === |
=== Sweden === |
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The more traditional festivities have moved to the day before, [[Walpurgis Night]] ("Valborgsmässoafton"), known in some locales as simply "Last of April" and often celebrated with bonfires and a good bit of drinking. The first of May is instead celebrated as [[International Workers' Day]]. |
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Up until the 19th century, on May Day itself, there were mock battles between Summer and Winter. Sir [[James George Frazer]] wrote in ''[[The Golden Bough]]'' (1911):<ref>{{cite book |last1=Frazer |first1=James George |title=The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion |date=1911 |page=254 |edition=Third |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/41572/pg41572-images.html |chapter=Chapter VIII. The Killing Of The Tree-Spirit}}</ref><blockquote>on May Day two troops of young men on horseback used to meet as if for mortal combat. One of them was led by a representative of Winter clad in furs, who threw snowballs and ice in order to prolong the cold weather. The other troop was commanded by a representative of Summer covered with fresh leaves and flowers. In the sham fight which followed the party of Summer came off victorious, and the ceremony ended with a feast</blockquote> |
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Sweden's first May Day celebration was held in [[Halmstad]] on 2nd of May, 1897 because 1st of May was a workday.<ref>{{cite web | title=Historiska årtal i Halmstads historia – Gamla Halmstad | website=Gamla Halmstad – Förening som dokumenterar gamla Halmstad | date=2024-07-17 | url=https://gamlahalmstad.se/historiska-artal-i-halmstads-historia/ | archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240724170407/https://gamlahalmstad.se/historiska-artal-i-halmstads-historia/ | archive-date=2024-07-24 | url-status=live | language=sv | access-date=2024-07-24| quote=1897 – Första 1 maj-demonstrationen genomfördes. Den fick anordnas den 2 maj då 1 maj var arbetsdag.}}</ref> |
Sweden's first May Day celebration was held in [[Halmstad]] on 2nd of May, 1897 because 1st of May was a workday.<ref>{{cite web | title=Historiska årtal i Halmstads historia – Gamla Halmstad | website=Gamla Halmstad – Förening som dokumenterar gamla Halmstad | date=2024-07-17 | url=https://gamlahalmstad.se/historiska-artal-i-halmstads-historia/ | archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240724170407/https://gamlahalmstad.se/historiska-artal-i-halmstads-historia/ | archive-date=2024-07-24 | url-status=live | language=sv | access-date=2024-07-24| quote=1897 – Första 1 maj-demonstrationen genomfördes. Den fick anordnas den 2 maj då 1 maj var arbetsdag.}}</ref> |