So one of the blogs on my blogroll (and regular reads) is RennyBA’s Terella. He is a Norwegian who writes wonderfully about Norway and life there. Well, his most recent post is something (as an American living in Norway) I want to talk about on my site because personally, I love Halloween!

Renny talks about how Norway itself has no Halloween tradition. He talks about how the trick-or-treating traditions of Halloween are spreading around the world but not to Norway. Even Norway’s neighbor Sweden seems to embrace the fun of the holiday, Norway does not seem to have the same open arms for this American tradition. Its even been talked about having it banned in Norway, because the Norwegians don’t seem to enjoy this American holiday at all.

To me, I don’t understand why, but as I read further I began to understand a little more. He says that in Norway that it has become less about dressing up in cute costumes and getting candy to be more about the “frightening” aspects. Well, from what I know in America there is nothing truly frightening about Halloween. Is all about costumes and candy.

Renny says that in Norway some of the kids will actually play “tricks” on people who don’t give them candy. Where as in the states I think of the words “trick-or-treat” as a saying and a phrase for Halloween fun. Its nothing literal at all. He says that they will actually frighten people out of their wits or do some-kind of vandalism.

I think this is just terrible. No wonder people in Norway have talked about having Halloween banned. If kids were coming to my door threatening to pull some kind of prank on me if I did not give them candy that they were asking for, I would be afraid too.

Maybe one-day the kids of Norway will come to know “trick-or-treat” as just a friendly phrase to have some fun in celebrating this fun tradition. Then the older generations of Norway can embrace it as well without fear.

Anyways, Happy Halloween Norway and everyone! :)