Learn all about Halloween
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| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Sweden Series at SwedishPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Swedish holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 24, Halloween. In Swedish, it’s called Halloween. |
| Halloween is not a Swedish holiday, but more recently it is beginning to be celebrated in Sweden. Halloween falls on October 31. |
| In this lesson, you will learn more about how Swedes celebrate Halloween in Sweden. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question- |
| Do you know how you would say “trick or treat” in Swedish? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening. |
| Halloween originates in Ireland and Scotland, but came to Sweden via American popular culture, or Amerikansk populärkultur. Halloween became popular in Sweden during the late 1990s. A Halloween Tradition amongst children is to dress up in ghost costumes, or spökkostymer, and go around to the neighbors' houses and ask them for candy, much like Easter witches in Sweden do on Easter. |
| It was not until the early 1990s that Sweden began to seriously hold the celebration. The sales of Halloween goods rose sharply during 1991 and spread to the main cities in the following years. By 1995, the Halloween celebrations became more commonly practiced in Sweden. Halloween has become a commercial holiday, or kommersiell högtid, since they manage to sell a lot of Halloween-related goods such as costumes and the like during this season. |
| It’s not just children who celebrate it, but adults also began to have Halloween parties. Most people have private parties, but sometimes bars and restaurants will also organize them. According to a survey, 4 out of 10 Swedes celebrated Halloween in 2010. Many schools and day-care centers hold Halloween parties for the kids. |
| Halloween was introduced to Sweden in 1984, by the retail chain Buttericks, when the country’s demand for Halloween products increased. Buttericks is a business that sells masquerade costumes and party items and is one of Sweden’s oldest retail businesses. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| Do you know how you would say “trick or treat” in Swedish? |
| “Trick or treat” in Swedish is “Bus eller godis”! However, it is not common to play any tricks if you don’t receive any candy. |
| How did you like this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| How do you celebrate Halloween in your country? |
| Leave us a comment letting us know at SwedishPod101.com. And we'll see you in the next lesson! |
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