Halloween
Halloween is slowly but surely coming to Norway. Each and every year there seems to be a bigger turnout of trick or treaters, the decorations seem to be a little more diverse and more Norwegians seem a tad more eager to follow along.
Halloween is perhaps my favorite holiday. That is, until Christmas comes around and then I claim that is my favorite holiday. I've had more fun with it as an adult than a child and I'm super excited to share this experience with my daughter. But first, I like doing things the American way, of course! :-)
Being an American living abroad, it's such a great feeling when you live in a country that is "catching on" to a holiday you grew up with. It's a different feeling when it's a holiday that isn't celebrated in Norway such as Independence Day and Thanksgiving. On these days I wake up and I feel excited because I know these are special days, but no one else around me shares the same excitement. Halloween however, I feel very optimistic about! I've been asked several times this month from Norwegians about how we "do" Halloween. I'm certain most want to know how the Americans do this holiday that they are also eager to celebrate with their children.
Some ways Halloween is celebrated in the United States:
America - packaged candy only. All fears aside, it's neater, it's cleaner and less messy.
America - porch lights are on if the household is handing out candy. Other than that, several people decorate. Americans get excited over holidays. Who wouldn't, it's a holiday revolving around dressing up and getting candy.
America - Halloween celebrations are often organized. A school will decorate and invite the children to trick or treat after school, some places do something called "trunk or treat" where trick or treating is in a parking lot and children go around to get their candy.
America- The month of October is generally filled with fall activities such as pumpkin picking, hayrides, pumpkin carving (which is also catching on in Norway as well) or pumpkin painting, drinking apple cider, pumpkin spice foods, being creative and so on.
I've come to observe that Norwegians have adopted Halloween, but I think they have adopted their own idea of Halloween and some Norwegians don't like their own version of Halloween they've created for themselves. It kind of makes me both excited because HEY! IT'S HALLOWEEN! and a little amused because the country has adopted their own version of the holiday - and some people aren't happy with the version their own country adopted.
Let me explain more...
Halloween in America is where children dress as whatever they want. They can be scary, they can be cute, they can be funny. The Halloween costume selection in Norway? Scary costumes. That's about it. Halloween is scary. Many Norwegians are under the impression that if candy isn't handed out to trick or treaters, children will play pranks on their homes. I think this comes from some Hollywood version of Halloween.
If you want to experience trick or treating with your children, but aren't into dressing your 2 year old as a devil or grim reaper, then don't. No one is forcing you to and it's ok to do as you please instead of conform.
It's ok to do a cute or friendly version of Halloween. That's what we do. Like most parents, I'm not into terrifying my toddler - she's more into terrifying her parents. She will dress cute for Halloween and I will dress up with her because I'm not old enough to give up Halloween.
Halloween is perhaps my favorite holiday. That is, until Christmas comes around and then I claim that is my favorite holiday. I've had more fun with it as an adult than a child and I'm super excited to share this experience with my daughter. But first, I like doing things the American way, of course! :-)
Being an American living abroad, it's such a great feeling when you live in a country that is "catching on" to a holiday you grew up with. It's a different feeling when it's a holiday that isn't celebrated in Norway such as Independence Day and Thanksgiving. On these days I wake up and I feel excited because I know these are special days, but no one else around me shares the same excitement. Halloween however, I feel very optimistic about! I've been asked several times this month from Norwegians about how we "do" Halloween. I'm certain most want to know how the Americans do this holiday that they are also eager to celebrate with their children.
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| More Halloween cheer as Pia painted her own pumpkin at a fellow Norwegian-American friend's birthday party. |
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| Pia wanted to share the Halloween cheer with her classmates, so we decorated clementines as Jack-O-Lanterns. |
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| Some homemade decorations from jars. |
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| Of course I dress up with the kid. In 2014 we were black cats. Arild was a mouse. :-) |
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| This year's costume. The family will be The Three Little Pigs. |
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| From October 1 - October 31 our front porch and the inside of our home is decorated for Halloween. |
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| I have actually found Halloween soda at Rema 1000. |
America - packaged candy only. All fears aside, it's neater, it's cleaner and less messy.
America - porch lights are on if the household is handing out candy. Other than that, several people decorate. Americans get excited over holidays. Who wouldn't, it's a holiday revolving around dressing up and getting candy.
America - Halloween celebrations are often organized. A school will decorate and invite the children to trick or treat after school, some places do something called "trunk or treat" where trick or treating is in a parking lot and children go around to get their candy.
America- The month of October is generally filled with fall activities such as pumpkin picking, hayrides, pumpkin carving (which is also catching on in Norway as well) or pumpkin painting, drinking apple cider, pumpkin spice foods, being creative and so on.
I've come to observe that Norwegians have adopted Halloween, but I think they have adopted their own idea of Halloween and some Norwegians don't like their own version of Halloween they've created for themselves. It kind of makes me both excited because HEY! IT'S HALLOWEEN! and a little amused because the country has adopted their own version of the holiday - and some people aren't happy with the version their own country adopted.
Let me explain more...
Halloween in America is where children dress as whatever they want. They can be scary, they can be cute, they can be funny. The Halloween costume selection in Norway? Scary costumes. That's about it. Halloween is scary. Many Norwegians are under the impression that if candy isn't handed out to trick or treaters, children will play pranks on their homes. I think this comes from some Hollywood version of Halloween.
If you want to experience trick or treating with your children, but aren't into dressing your 2 year old as a devil or grim reaper, then don't. No one is forcing you to and it's ok to do as you please instead of conform.
It's ok to do a cute or friendly version of Halloween. That's what we do. Like most parents, I'm not into terrifying my toddler - she's more into terrifying her parents. She will dress cute for Halloween and I will dress up with her because I'm not old enough to give up Halloween.
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