The Swedish word for Good Friday translates into English as Long Friday, which somehow seems far more appropriate. Unlike Australia, there are no traditional hot cross buns (unless you make them yourself) - however there are certain superstitions attached to Easter here in Sweden. .

One of those traditions is påskkärringar or Easter witches. But not in the Halloween tradition. Swedish witches are rather cute and charming as you can see:



This is my friend's daughter and her best friend, dressed up in the traditional witch outfit, ready to go around town. This was a big event here yesterday. Years ago, people believed that witches were especially active and their black magic especially powerful during this week. On Maundy Thursday (skärtorsdagen in Sweden), they were thought to fly off on broomsticks to consort with the devil at Blåkulla (blue mountain) to visit Satan, returning the following Saturday. Many people lit bonfires (påskeld) in the evenings and shot guns into the air to scare the witches away. Easter bonfires are also the custom in the western areas of Sweden, where villages vie to see who can make the biggest one. The custom of shooting also lives on, albeit in the form of shooting off fireworks (påsksmällare).

On Easter Eve, Swedish girls and boys dress up as witches and hags, wearing headscarfs and skirts and pay visits to their neighbours. A sort of combination Halloween-Easter thing. Some leave a small decorated card, an Easter letter (påskbrev), hoping for a lolly or money in return. This isn't a black pointy hat, green face witch, by the way. These Swedish witches have babushka headscarves, red circle cheeks, freckles, and multicoloured skirts and aprons. I think it's absolutely charming!

Because I live in a small place, it is much more the done thing than in the bigger cities. We had a couple of groups of kids ring our bell, with every one of them dressed to the nines in their witchy clothes and makeup, carrying brooms and baskets, handing out cards, and even SINGING! By contrast, one of my friends in Göteborg said that kids arrived at her door in normal clothing and just hold up a lolly bag and yell "PÅSK!" (Easter) at her, expecting to be given something. All I can say is that he's lucky they didn't come to my door!

Other Swedish traditions are also a throwback to earlier times. They seem to have been adapted for modern life. But quite by surprise, the word that springs to mind is tacky.

Just take a squizz at what I'm "admiring" in the local supermarket. You'd be forgiven if you thought I'd stumbled into some Mexican market or Thai tourist place. I mean when you think Scandinavia you think minimalist, clean lines, good taste. So what are these hideous sticks with fluro feathers all about? And what on earth do you do with them?

"Bin them" leaps to mind instantly. But I digress. What I am looking at is called påskris. Literally translated, that means "Easter Rice" - yeah, whatever... Anyway, they are birch twigs. Many years ago on Good Friday, people in Sweden used to beat themselves (and others) with birch twigs as a reminder of Jesus' suffering. Apparently, it was done while they were still in bed (thus that kinky reputation the Swedes enjoy) and was practiced until mid 18th century in many regions.

Today, in these more enlightened and less violent times the Swedes have made this more lagom and acceptable.

These days, they are adorned with multi-coloured hen feathers and hung in bunches on doors as you see pictured here, or in vases outside of every home and business in the place. They have now become symbols of the growing life soon to come with the approach of spring. Later they are brought indoors and in the indoor warmth they bud and you get a display of greenery in a few weeks. I can't tell you if that happens as I've managed to resist the urge to purchase these strange twigs. My Swedish husband also thinks they are tacky, so we remain firmly on the outer as far as påskris is concerned.

Other Easter decorations mostly are about chickens and yellow seems to dominate the colour scheme. One must have pots of daffodils (called påskliljor - literally Easter Lilly) and eat lots of eggs done in every conceivable way. I must say though that the egg cup holders with chicken feet that abound at this time of year make me feel queasy. The yellow theme extends to all food, with saffron being liberally applied to both sweet and savoury dishes in order have that easter theme.

One must also have the yellow serviettes, candles, tablecloths, curtains etc to match. Not to mention all of the little chicken nick.nacks. I think Lars-Göran would divorce me if I started doing all of that. I guess if I had small children around I'd be more into it. As it is, my bet is that he'll ask for pizza for Easter dinner (as he did for Christmas dinner!) but I'll do lasagne I think and maybe a saffron flavoured white chocolate mousse (just to pay slight homage to the Easter theme of yellow). But we will certainly be doing our bit to annoy Coca-Cola by drinking lots of that traditional Swedish soft drink Påskmust (identical to julmust, but with a yellow label!).

One surprising thing is that there are no chocolate eggs, no Easter bunny. It feels really strange at times to think of Easter without these trappings. The eggs here are large decoupage cardboard ones that can be opened and filled with loose lollies. I do miss those Cadbury Creme Eggs :(

So from sunny Nynäshamn I wish you a Happy Easter or Glad Påsk!