Today, all over the internet, there are lots of Halloween posts from American and British friends. Here in Sweden, it's just an ordinary Tuesday, though.
In this country, the holiday All Saints' Day was moved (in the 1950s) to always be celebrated on the Saturday falling between 31st October and 6th November; and followed by All Souls' Day on the Sunday. Traditionally, it's also mostly a rather solemn weekend here, when we remember family and friends who passed away, and visit graveyards to put candles and winter decorations on their graves.
In later decades, the American tradition of Halloween parties and trick-or-treat-ing etc has also spread - but there is no real consensus about when to have these celebrations. Some insist that they belong on 31st October, never mind what day of the week that happens to be. Others find it natural to have them on the Friday before All Saint's Day, whatever date that happens to be. Or even the weekend before 31st October. (I heard someone on the radio this morning sighing about having had random trick-or-treat visits for a whole week already.)
On the housing estate where I live since 15 years, I don't think I've ever seen or heard any signs of Halloween celebrations. My own autumn decorations are modest and won't get any scarier than two friendly ceramic owls and some candles (real and fake) to light up the dark.
Barbie and Skipper have settled down to read - as do I from time to time...
If anyone is wondering what it's like outdoors, the answer is: grey, went and windy!
On Sunday I did not set foot outdoors at all. Photo taken from my window.
Yesterday I did venture out as it was less windy for a while. Still very wet, though!
Today I went out again, to go and post a card to the husband of a close friend of mine who died back in January. I managed most of the walk without getting too wet, but had to turn up my umbrella before I got back home again. I had also brought a candle for a family grave (great grandparents) in the cemetery close to home (which I passed on my way back). I managed to light it, but suspect that it probably got put out by wind or rain behind my back not long after. The forecasts for the All Saints/ Souls weekend are so far not looking any better, though.
We are on the first day of a cold snap here; after a week of 80 degree temps, setting records. I like your flower arrangement.Here, we always celebrate October 31st, no matter what day it is. Many decades ago, it wasn't like this, there were at least two days.
ReplyDeleteGinny, well, at least when it's restricted to one day, one knows what to expect! The decorations in your neighbourhood seem to last weeks, though! ;)
DeleteAs a child, i went collecting candy maybe 5 times. my children were driven to family only because in the 60's they started putting razor blades in the candy. I have never decorated for anything but christmas. i did once make a jackolantern, it rotted on the porch and was my only try.. I think this explosion here in USA is due to all the walking dead movies and all the horror movies. i find it difficult to find a movie that was made in the last 10 years that i can even watch. I like the way you celebrae best
ReplyDeleteSandra, seems a good idea to keep it just to a family and/or friends circle of participants. I think many people in Sweden do that as well, but it seems to vary from one town/residential area to another.
DeleteBarbie and Skipper are so cute reading. I have never cared much for Halloween, here in California when our kids were little we gave out candy and the kids went out trick or treating, that's about it. I only decorate for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteTerra, in my childhood there were no such traditions for Halloween at all - but we did have something similar for Easter (children dressing up as witches).
DeleteLove your Barbie and Skipper display!
ReplyDeleteHalloween took off here big time because of the decades of US military presence. We had an entire "town" (Pattonville - you can find it on wikipedia) built by and for the American soldiers and their families, complete with schools, shops, cinema, chapel and so on. Sometimes our Dad would drive through Pattonville with us, so that we could admire their Christmas decorations.
I can't remember having seen any Halloween decor, though, but we did get plenty of trick or treaters, and Halloween parties were (and still are) hosted at clubs and bars around town. For my sister and I, it was an American celebration (always on Oct. 31) and not something we engaged in.
For my late husband, it was his birthday - he would have been 55 yesterday.
I don't think I ever heard of the Halloween tradition connected to Germany, Meike, so that's interesting to learn about.
DeleteNo Halloween visitors here, but I live out in what passes for the "sticks" where there are mostly retirees or people with adult children who have left home. Probably the action - such as it was - was confined to the town centre where young families live in the apartment blocks.
ReplyDeleteCarol, where I live I think quite a few of the families with young children are Muslims (based on many women wearing such clothes) and I suspect they do not encourage Halloween celebrations.
DeleteLove the owls, and the young geranium (compared to my long limbed one that I saved). Thanks for letting me know about the holiday as celebrated there. It must be nice to have ancestors' graves near where you live.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, the graves on my dad's side of the family are in a village outside town, and as I don't have a car, my visits there are few and far between. The one on the photo in this post, very close to where I live, belongs to my mother's grandparents. I sort of keep an eye on it for my aunt, who lives elsewhere.
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