Allhelgonaafton
It was only recently that Halloween ( in Sweden we call it Allhelgnonaafton) came to be celebrated in Sweden. It started 1995 and even now so many years later we still don’t celebrate it exactly the same way the US does. Sure there are carved pumpkins, costumes and scary decorations in orange and black coverings in most of the stores in my country during this time of year. But it is all mostly for a marketing purpose.
Although most people between the ages 10- 30 will celebrate it in someway. There might be parties where it is required to dress up but usually there are parties where some people dress up a little bit. Younger people have started to go Trick r Treating but far from everyone do it. This is something Swedes are used to doing during the Easter holiday instead, when children go house to house dressed as cute witches’ asking for candy and wishing everyone a Happy Easter.
We do celebrate “Alla Helgona dag” (translation All Hallows’ day) though. This is seen as an old Christian holiday that has always been celebrated on a Saturday between October 31 and November 6. People in Sweden used to believe that during this day, at summers end and the beginning of winter, the dead would return home. People believed that by lighting candles, decorating and visiting your loved ones graves this would help the dead find their way.
