The ritual
A song everyone knows, a look in the eye and an ice-cold pour of Purity. The Swedish toast.
You do not simply raise a glass. You look at each person around the table, one by one. You say skål. You take a sip. And before the glass goes down, you meet their eyes once more.
At Midsummer, at the crayfish party and at every celebration in between, the toast comes with a song. Helan går is the drinking song every Swede knows by heart, sung loud, a little off key and always with a smile.
It is the most Swedish moment we know. Now it is yours too.
Keep the bottle of Purity in the freezer and chill small glasses. Pour 2 cl of ice-cold Vodka 51 Connoisseur Reserve or Vodka 34 Signature Edition for each guest.
Add something Swedish to eat: gravlax with dill, pickled herring, crispbread with a mature cheese, or crayfish in late summer.
Everyone raises their glass and sings Helan går together. Nobody needs to sing well. Everybody needs to sing.
Look each person in the eye, say skål, take a sip, and meet their eyes once more before the glass goes down. Traditionally the first glass is emptied in one go. Ours is a small pour and a first sip: the ceremony is the point.
Helan går,
sjung hopp faderallan lallan lej.
Helan går,
sjung hopp faderallan lej.
Och den som inte helan tar,
han heller inte halvan får.
Helan går!
Sjung hopp faderallan lej.
Here goes the first one, sing hop fa-de-ral-lan lal-lan lay. Here goes the first one, sing hop fa-de-ral-lan lay. And whoever does not take the first, will not be given the second either. Here goes the first one! Sing hop fa-de-ral-lan lay.
HEH-lan gor, shoong hop FAH-deh-RAL-lan LAL-lan lay. Skål is pronounced “skohl”. The tune is easy: one person starts, and the table follows by the second line.
Helan går is a traditional Swedish folk song from the 19th century. Please enjoy Purity responsibly, and never drink and drive.