And so it begins again. The annual confusion over the correct day for Swedes to celebrate Halloween. This is just a sample from our neighborhood online group. Allow me to translate:
-Can kids go on Halloween and ring on private people’s doors October 31st?
-Yes, anyone that has a lit pumpkin in front of their door indicates it’s ok to trick-or-treat.
-But what if you’re like us and enjoy having a lit pumpkin outside but don’t want to give away candy?
-You can of course just not open the door.
-Is that true? Thanks for the tip!
The comments continue. There’s the usual, “We don’t celebrate Halloween, we only celebrate All Saint’s Day.” Never understanding that these are not the same holidays. Also, what is the point of even posting that? Are you trying to shame the rest of us? Do you think you’re better than us with your, “I go and light candles with the half a million other people in this town and it makes me special.”?
Further down we get to the ones who say, “Not everyone wants to celebrate this capitalist American holiday. Also, candy is expensive!”
Really?
- I appreciate your honesty that you hate a day of fun and candy for kids simply because of your political beliefs and dislike for capitalism.
- You can just toss a couple of loose M&M’s in kids’ bags here and they’re happy. Swedish kids don’t know any better.
- My kids have come home with smashed potato chips, oranges, nuts and an aspirin and have never once complained. Nor do they complain about all the people who simply say, “sorry, we don’t have anything” like normal human beings.
Also, for the record, I live near the most popular graveyard in Stockholm and if people want to act like All Saint’s Day is such a sacred and beautiful event, then why are there so many people clamoring for the booths with hot dogs and coffee before entering the cemetery? That’s in a little worse taste to me. But what do I know? I celebrate American capitalist holidays.