Halloween in Sweden – part 2

Well it turns out that Sweden is very confused about celebrating Halloween – USA style. Although Halloween was officially last Tuesday, we had a pre-Halloween party the weekend previous and then our neighbourhood celebrated on Friday night. We also had knocks on the door every single night in between. It was the Halloween that never ended.

On Friday morning TSH had the community spirited idea of setting up a firepit down our end of the village, so the kids could toast marshmallows as they walked past. How lovely is he? He even organised hot chocolate with a nip of rum for the parents, which was well appreciated CONSIDERING IT WAS 5C DEGREES OUTSIDE.

My contributions of ‘ghost bananas’ and mini ‘pumpkins’ we not the most popular choice. I blame 1) merchandise positioning – he’d placed them right near the big pot of candy and 2) his complete failure to sell them in.

But I now understand why Sweden has imported this tradition. Because we need it! We need a little bit of festivity to distract us from the cold. The wind is whistling, the trees are standing bare, and that’s if you can see them in the dark.

It’s a long stretch from the last flutter of autumnal beauty to the first tinkle of a jingle bell…

5Cº out. Our chocolates didn’t melt on our hands this year.