How to Make a Swedish Maypole

We were visiting friends in a little village in Sweden this year on Midsummer holiday, which is the summer solstice, and got to dance around the maypole. Here's how to make one. Start with a tall cross form which you have lashed together with strong string or rope. I think this maypole was about fifteen feet tall.


Now begin to lash a variety of green tree boughs onto the maypole, using the string. Cover the maypole on both sides, all the way to within about 3 or 4 feet from the bottom. The bottom will be stuck into a hole dug with a post-hole digger.

The man wrapping the string is holding the whole ball of string in his hand.

Pick some flowers to decorate the maypole.

This woman made bouquets with the flowers, wrapping them with the string.

The bouquets were bound onto the maypole.

Then she made two flower wreaths to decorate the arms of the maypole, again using string. You can use this same technique to make a lavish flower crown.

Here is a finished flower wreath with a length of string for attaching it to the maypole.

After tying on the flower wreaths, the villagers placed the maypole into the hole and raised it.

They shoved wedge-shaped pieces of lumber into the hole to keep the maypole erect.

In some villages, a permanent maypole is kept up all year, and taken down to decorate it for Midsummer holiday.

An accordion-player began to play traditional maypole dancing songs....

And soon people of all ages were dancing around the pole and singing.

Next May, I will show you how to make the kind of maypole we danced around during May Day celebrations at my school here in the United States.

Varma Midsommar Hälsningar!