Why Swedes wear paper hats and sing over crayfish every August

At a Swedish crayfish party, slurping is practically good manners.

The kräftskiva season starts at the beginning of August and usually runs into September. There is no fixed national opening date anymore, but the parties still act as a cheerful farewell to the Swedish summer.

If you are invited, ask what to bring. Guests commonly contribute salad, pie or bread to the shared table, a potluck arrangement Swedes call knytkalas or knytis.

Expect cold crayfish eaten with your fingers, paper hats and bibs, colourful lanterns and singing. Beer and snaps are traditional, but alcohol-free drinks fit perfectly well. Helan Går is the song you are most likely to hear.

The eating is deliberately messy. Visit Sweden advises turning the crayfish belly-up, sucking out the brine, removing the tail, lifting the back shield and cracking the claws. Keep napkins and a bowl of lemon water nearby.

Vegetarian and vegan tables may include artichoke, tofu in brine or tomato quiche. The point is not perfect technique. It is joining a shared ritual that Swedes have kept tied to August, even though crayfish can now be bought throughout the year.

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