Easter like no other.
Well, I don't really know how people celebrate Easter. I am not aware of how my Singaporean friends celebrate Easter! All I have in my mind is children and those who are young at heart will be busy looking for Easter eggs in the garden and that if they are lucky, they get to steal a glance of the Easter Bunny. Sounds like Christmas? Perhaps.
I remember feeling little confused when my friends bought a few bags of candies and chocolate eggs from ICA. I thought those were for us to snack on but nope.. they were not for us. They didn't tell me much though. They just giggled away and told me to wait for the next day. I mean, I knew Easter was coming because of the decorations and "Glad Påsk" signage everywhere in the stores in Stockholm.
I was even more confused when I opened the door the next morning to find two girls dressed in mismatching colourful dress and apron, with scarves around their heads, painted freckles on their red cheeks smiling with baskets in their hands, asking for sweet treats. I thought Halloween was not for another six months! These girls were the Easter witches or påskkärring. It was only then when my friends shared with me about the way the Swedes celebrate Easter. This custom which resembles very much like "trick or treat" on Halloween takes place on Maundy Thursday or Holy Saturday. These girls would either go in twos or in groups, knocking at neighbours' doors giving out handmade Easter cards or letters in exchange for sweet treats. I wanted to dress up like one, too but my friends said I was a little "too mature" to join the fun. Bummer!
Swedish Easter
We didn't really have much on our smörgåsbord though but we did have pickled herrings, boiled eggs, knäckebröd, tunnbröd, gravlax, cheese, some Påskmust, juice and some other beverages. A simple celebration for just the few of us.
It is a very common sight to find these "eggs" in the supermarkets or at the specialty candy stores in Sweden.
Easter Crafts
The Swedes are big on crafts especially so during such occasions. I always find myself in my favourite craft store, Panduro, along Kungsgatan whenever I am roaming around town. Just like IKEA, I never leave the store without buying something!
Panduro is similar to Art Friends or the craft section at Spotlight in Singapore. You can just go gaga if you are an art craft nerd.
If you'd like to find out more about Påsk, head over to Visit Sweden .
Ha en riktigt Glad Påsk!