In Sweden there is no Hallowe’en as we know it.
Hallowe’en is a lot more sombre in Sweden, the 31 is Allahelgona (all-saint’s day) and Nov 1 is day of the dead, where you go visit the graves of your family. For an area with so many pagan traditions, the fireworks and bonfires and spirit-chasing didn’t seem to catch on here. There are some Halloween parties, but only some kids wear costumes (no grownups) and there trick or treating has only come in the last 10 years or so, although I hear it is catching on. On the bright side, I get half a day off on Friday Oct 30.
My mom is pretty adamant that no Christmas decorations should be up in stores or otherwise until after Hallowe’en (preferable well after). In Canada, November 1 is the great swap day where the bats get boxed away and the snowflakes come out. I agree with her that there should be some delineation; a pine tree decorated with ghosts and pumpkins is pretty much a travesty. Funnily enough, we will spend Oct 31 at a Christmas craft fair.
What would mamman say?
Laughing and snorting here (seem to be doing a lot of that the last couple of days), as i picture a tree decorated with ghosts and pumpkins. Thank you for that.
he he he
lets trade our bats for snow flakes folks, the first is here!
xo
sing along i know you wanna:
c’est l’halloween HEY
C’est L’Halloween…. Hey!