Why do we celebrate Halloween in Sweden? It's almost time for this holiday, and it's always interesting to write about. There are always some who love the occasion and some who hate these new traditions. Which of these are you? And what do you really know about Halloween?
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What is Halloween?
The word Halloween comes from the English word All Hallows' Eve, which translates into Swedish as All Saints' Eve.. Long before we even thought about Halloween in Sweden, it was a major holiday in many other parts of the world.
Halloween originated in Ireland and partly in Scotland. One of the four Celtic annual festivals was the harvest festival 'Samhain'. Samhain was celebrated when the harvest season ended and winter began on 31 October. At this time of year it was believed that invisible forces were at work and that the souls of the dead could return to the earth.
A tradition associated with Samhain was that those walking around outside carried hollow turnips with candles and cut-out faces, known as 'jack-o-lanterns'. According to tradition, the lanterns represented Jack the blacksmith, who was too evil to go to heaven, but after tricking the devil could not go to hell either. Instead, he had to wander the earth, and to find his way, he poured glowing coal into the turnips he had eaten...
The Church made several attempts to eradicate or replace these traditions, including the establishment of the 'Day of All Souls' to remember and pray for dead relatives. Although the Church influenced the pagan Halloween celebration, it never succeeded in eradicating it ...
But what about the US and Halloween?
The fact that the holiday is sometimes believed to have originated in the United States may have to do with the fact that Irish immigrants brought the celebration there during the famine and emergency years of the 1840s, and the tradition then became very big there. The celebrations in the US have also been mixed with some other traditions, such as Guy Fawkes night.
In the 1920s, Halloween celebrations in the US were taken over by the Lions, Boy Scouts and Rotary, who moved the celebrations to the streets with large parades. Today, Halloween is one of the major holidays in the United States, with a strong focus on children.
Why do we celebrate Halloween in Sweden?
Halloween came to Sweden from the USA in the 1990s, when the Swedish Merchants' Association passed a board resolution to create a shopping weekend. There is no mistaking that Halloween in Sweden attracts shopping, but over time the holiday has come to mean much more. Since its arrival in Sweden, Halloween has established itself as a tradition that is celebrated in a number of different ways.
During Halloween, it is common for children to dress up in scary costumes and go around the neighbourhood asking neighbours for 'trick or treat'. It is also common to have parties where participants dress up in various scary Halloween costumes. And of course, pumpkins have become very common!
At around the same time of the year, we also have our traditional celebrations around All Saints' Day, including the lighting of cemeteries.
When is Halloween actually celebrated?
Halloween is traditionally celebrated on 31 October, at least in the US and the UK. In Sweden, "Swedish Halloween" is sometimes also celebrated on the Friday before All Saints' Day, which falls on the first Sunday in November.
The Swedish holiday of All Saints' Day falls between 31 October and 6 November each year. Perhaps it's not surprising that it's sometimes unclear when to celebrate Halloween, and that you sometimes see people in Halloween costumes for several weekends in a row. No matter what date you celebrate in Sweden, Halloween is not going away anytime soon!
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Staffan Stalledräng - who was he really?
Why do we celebrate Easter in Sweden? - resurrection and eggs
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Anette says:
I don't really feel anything for Halloween, I'm probably not at the right age to care. I remember my daughters going to Halloween-themed parties when they were little. I actually don't know if they are at parties like these now as adults.
An opportunity to throw a party is always fun.
Are you going to a Halloween party?
27 October 2018 - 8:50
Helena says:
Halloween will surely mean more to those who have grown up with it. And no, no Halloween party for us, as far as we know anyway 😉.
27 October 2018 - 18:54
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
No, but no thanks!
Still, it was nice to get some history on how the celebration originated. I actually thought it came from the US.
I don't like days that are more or less shopping holidays, such as Halloween, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, etc.
Conclusion: No Halloween is celebrated here...
27 October 2018 - 9:04
Helena says:
I'm also not so fond of the parts of traditions that are just about commerce. I think the basis of Halloween is completely different from shopping, but since we don't have a "deep" Halloween tradition, it might feel different.
27 October 2018 - 18:56
Matts Torebring says:
I'm glad you're bringing it up and giving me a chance to protest against the celebrations!
There are few things I dislike as much as Halloween. We refrain from all sales within the company related to this pagan celebration. This is a sad behaviour, within Swedish trade. I hope it burns out in the sand. For us, All Saints' Day is something nice, to remember those who have gone before.
27 October 2018 - 9:11
Helena says:
But it's good that you got to protest a bit Matts 🙂 I can partly understand your point of view. At the same time, I am interested in and find it exciting with old traditions in a way.
27 October 2018 - 20:12
Ama de casa says:
I myself have a tradition of celebrating hello wine. A bit uncomfortable, but traditions are meant to be kept 😀.
27 October 2018 - 9:31
Helena says:
I'm looking forward to seeing photo evidence of this year's celebrations 🙂 ).
27 October 2018 - 20:12
åsa/nalta norland says:
For children/young people, Halloween is something they have "grown up" with and completely natural, Elin has been going to Halloween discos since kindergarten age and for the last three or four years she and her friends have been going around begging for sweets... more or less in costume.
I'm not a big fan of either Father's Day/Mother's Day, Valentine's Day or Halloween, but now it's just a matter of "liking the situation".
31 October is the day Halloween is celebrated here.
27 October 2018 - 9:37
Helena says:
I also think it will change. For those who have grown up with it, it's different from those of us who haven't.
27 October 2018 - 20:13
Veiken says:
Masquerade is fun, but Halloween is uncool. I have read as much as possible about this Irish/Scottish tradition that the emigrants there brought to the USA! Here it is the merchants who have drummed in their message and naive Swedes have bought it. Is there no other spectacle that the merchants can bring here? The Swedes are probably buying it too.
We are not at home when the doorbell rings. The children will be collecting while their parents stand in the background cheering them on.
Last year I wanted to put on a horrible mask and scream BUUU when the phone rang and if I answered it. . I was not allowed by my kind and caring husband.
Take care...... ?
27 October 2018 - 13:43
Helena says:
I agree that the part about shopping as much as possible is not so much fun. I think the origin is about something else. At the same time, we are perhaps fortunate, there are almost never any children knocking on the houseboats 😉.
27 October 2018 - 20:15
Ditte says:
Thanks for the information, however, it feels far from Swedish traditions.I can't see this as a holiday in Sweden.
But I have during a visit to the USA been involved in celebrating the 31/10 and was very nice and very fun. But here at home I do not understand it all. And it's 31 October. Why another date? Nor do I like the idea of begging for sweets. On the other hand, we like to embrace Amas "Hall and wine" - preferably with friends and good food.
27 October 2018 - 13:48
Helena says:
It is perhaps true that it is far from Swedish traditions today. At the same time, traditions are something that is constantly changing. By the way, I agree that Amas Hall å vin sounds like a nice tradition 🙂 .
27 October 2018 - 20:17
Lisa / livetfrandenljusasidan.se says:
For my children, it is completely natural and super important. Regardless of origin and how new it is here.... accept. Almost embrace. Pga is fun and somehow - Sweden is renewed. Getting influences. It is natural development.
27 October 2018 - 14:01
Helena says:
I also believe that traditions are something that is constantly evolving and changing. I can't say I celebrate much (unless I happen to be invited to a Halloween party) but as long as it's fun and positive, I have no objection.
27 October 2018 - 20:18
JoY says:
Nothing we celebrate but the grandchildren had a party at school. Then I do not like to open the door when it is black outside and there are masked people outside. Quite ok if it is small but when it goes off and becomes the larger figures, no thanks.
27 October 2018 - 15:06
Helena says:
I understand! We haven't really had to think about this with someone standing outside the door, hardly ever anyone knocking on the houseboats 😉.
27 October 2018 - 20:19
BP says:
I did not know that background. Thanks for that information! We don't celebrate Halloween ourselves, but I can say that there was not a single parking space available in Täby Centrum today. Oh there are 3,000 spaces. The holiday weekend and various Halloween events attracted a lot of people.
27 October 2018 - 18:53
Helena says:
Ojoj then it was a lot of people! No, we don't really celebrate either, unless we happen to be invited to a Halloween party 😉.
27 October 2018 - 21:27
Emma, Sol som sol? says:
Before we moved to Spain, we didn't celebrate Halloween at all. Here, however, there have been a few times where we have dressed up and it has been very nice. Parties are usually nice!
Allahelgona is somehow the opposite. A beautiful and perhaps sad moment in the cemetery. As Matts Torebring mentions above, one thinks of those who have gone before. Beautifully expressed.
I like the idea of lighting a candle for my loved ones who have passed away more than scaring them away with sweets and make-up.
But then I always marvel at the people who are horrified by the "Trick or Treat", begging for sweets. Do the same people despise the Swedish tradition of Easter bunnies? No, I don't think so.
27 October 2018 - 19:50
Helena says:
Maybe it will be a bit tricky with All Saints and Halloween almost at the same time? But I agree, I don't think people are upset by Easter carvings in the same way 😉 .
27 October 2018 - 21:29
Nils-Åke Hansson says:
I have no understanding of Halloween
27 October 2018 - 19:57
Razzy says:
If Halloween had been embraced from the beginning for what it stands for instead of a massive shopping party, we in Sweden would probably have embraced the tradition more than we have done. I myself think that it is neither bu nor bä, we do not have to buy anything so it is up to each one 🙂 Here at home there is a little candy outcome someone would knock on. Hugs Eva
28 October 2018 - 8:54
Reiselinda says:
No traditions here when it comes to Halloween. Have some difficulty with these events that are driven by commerce. Probably wouldn't say no to a costume party if invited, but it would be to have fun with friends and not because of the tradition!
28 October 2018 - 11:28
Lena -gott för själen says:
Yes, Irish origin! Nice to know the background! I could have googled it myself, but it's always nicer to find out like this!
Hug Lena
04 November 2018 - 9:03