Spring Time in Sweden

As Springtime approaches, you begin to see the signs of Easter.  In Sweden, Easter has become a secular holiday.  You will see the birch twigs adorned with bright colored feathers everywhere you go.  These birch twigs were used to thrash one another, symbolic of Christ's suffering.

 Also, you may see witches hanging from trees in yards.  On the Thursday before Easter, witches flew off to consort with the Devil at Mount Blåkulla, and people would protect themselves by painting crosses on their front doors and hiding broomsticks and rakes so that the witches could not fly on them.

This truly is quite a site to behold.  Now days, the little children dress up like witches and old men, rabbits and chickens, and go from house to house with the greeting of "Glad Påsk" or Happy Easter.  The children give you a little homemade greeting card, and then you are to provide them treats for their long journey to Blåkulla.

 And, here are the first "Trick or Treaters" if you will that knock on our door, wishing us "Glad Påsk."