Princess Madeleine of Sweden shared a new photo of her daughters on her Instagram account for Halloween 2024. The photo shows her daughters, Princess Leonore and Princess Adrienne, dressed up in their Halloween costumes. Captioning the snap, Princess Madeleine wrote: 'It's a spooky Halloween this year!' Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31.
I am probably in the minority, if not the only one, I don't like Halloween celebrations.
ReplyDeleteI am with you!
DeleteI think it is an USA tradition but not European, donot know it’s origin nor meaning
No not the minority Mary! Globally, it’s hardly “celebrated” - although widespread in the USA and perhaps Canada (?). If you’re not used to it, as I’m not, it’s a strange thing for people to dress up to look scary, and for people to hang skulls etc from front fences. I’m very much into autumn celebrations and pumpkins for soup, but not at all into dressing my kids to be scary. Luckily we still have many different cultures and celebrations across the world, because that diversity is so interesting and important; although globalisation, commercialisation and social media do meld traditions so that it seems we are all focusing on the same events. - Grace
DeleteCelebration is okay, don’t know why one would post costume photos. I prefer to see their faces
DeleteIf I'm not mistaken it actually comes from a European tradition (a mix from old Christian and Celtic practices), and was imported to the USA in the 1800's through Irish and Scottish immigrants.
DeleteMe too Mary T .
DeletePeople forget, it's not just scary themed. Yeah, that dominates for some reason but, you can be anything you want on Halloween - and *that* is the fun of it (along with the sweets). :) You can be a princess, or a scientist, or an astronaut, or whatever.
DeleteNo, and these girls don't look like they enjoy Halloween either.
ReplyDeleteTheir expressions are all part of their ghoulish costumes. I have a feeling this girls are having lots of fun dressing up one day out of the year. Janet
DeleteYou are not alone. I don’t like them either!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the girls try to look spooky ... Halloween isn't my cup of tea neither ... I'm european with relatives in the US and they dress up like actors of a movie with mottos like Adam's family every year ...
ReplyDeleteWhilst I’d give my two arms and a leg to help children to be happy, what bothers me is the waste that Halloween creates with all its costumes, paraphernalia etc.
DeleteOne week later, it’s more than likely going to finish up in the local rubbish tip.
The commercial people are laughing all the way to the bank.
With you deadeggs … the throw-away, plastic nature of it all is pretty sickening. Very commercial and for what?
Delete@deadeggs, Is not waste, children and even some adults enjoy that day , let them have fun!
DeleteAva
@deadeggs The costumes aren't thrown out. I still have every costume my children ever wore. I made most of them. Costumes are commonly saved because others can wear them in the future, or they can be loaned or donated to children that need costumes. A lot of very young children have costumes that can be worn as pajamas after Halloween, or they wear them throughout the year when they are playing. Super hero costumes and princess dresses are among the favorites for year round wear. I have a nephew that was Spiderman every day for 3 years. His parents had to replace his Spidey costume-jammies several times as he outgrew them. We were just laughing about it at his wedding last year. Adults always keep their costumes. They can wear them for years to come. There are so many events for adults, they don't want to be caught without a costume. Halloween decorations are stored for future use, and the people that like to decorate their yards will usually add to the decor each year, just like we do with Christmas decor. Your impressions are not correct at all.
DeleteHello Anon 14:29
DeleteIt was nice to read the details about your family.
Thank you. You give me confidence.
NOTE. We are a family that lives in southern Europe and Halloween has only recently been presented to us (about 12 years ago).
Its entry into our lives has been on a heavy commercial basis.
Lots of cheap, made in China and Asia, throw away paraphernalia.
We know nothing about its history but it sounds like in your part of the world, it’s a big festive day.
Thanks to information from fellow bloggers, I am learning a lot about this subject. Happy Halloween.
Google says, the tradition was brought overseas from GI's ...
ReplyDeleteHalloween is based upon a very old celtic (and thus european) tradition. On this special evening the dead and the living ones mingle. The name means "All hollows ("holy") eve (evening)". I love it.
ReplyDeleteThe hero of this feast is Jack O'lantern. He tricked the devil. Now he cannot enter hell nor heaven (because he was a cheater). With his lantern in his hand he is searching for a place to rest his soul.
I am with you , I like it also.
DeleteAva
Coralie, you and Anon 21:59 are correct. Halloween originates from Celtic harvest festivals. The customs were brought to The New World by Scottish and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. Jack-o-lanterns in fact are straight from the story of Jack O'Lantern and "Stingy Jack". Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, a time to remember the dead, including saints, martyrs, and all the faithful departed. Historically, All Hallows' Eve, October 31st, is a day to prepare for All Saints' Day, November 1st. All Saints' Day is a holy day of obligation in the Catholic church. "The day is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven. It should not be confused with All Souls' Day, which is observed on November 2, and is dedicated to those who have died and not yet reached heaven."
DeleteMuch like Christmas, it has lost much of its religious meaning to the mass public, but it is a holiday that becomes bigger every year. Adults have taken Halloween to the next level. I can see that there are a lot of people who don't understand the holiday. Dressing up in costumes is a major part of the day. Children and adults plan their costumes weeks and months in advance. Popular costumes of the year vary from traditional things like Disney princesses to pirates to favorite television and movie characters, and ALWAYS witches, mummies, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and anything that the wearer can create to look scary. It is all in fun, and a day that children look forward to all year. It is not uncommon to be driving to work and see a clown or a witch driving the car next to you. Some workplaces allow or encourage employees to dress in costume for the day. People decorate their front yards with incredible displays, many even bigger than Christmas displays, and adult Halloween parties are the norm. For children, the day ends with door-to-door Trick-or Treating for candy. It has become the second largest commercial holiday in the US, and is still growing.
To the comment above about posting the pictures of the kids in costumes: The point is for a good costume to disguise the wearer. As children get older, they lean more into costumes that require makeup to disguise them. The makeup is a lot more fun and less constricting than wearing a full faced mask. Madeleine has done a wonderful thing for her children. They might have moved away from a country that celebrates Halloween, but she has allowed then to dress up anyway so they don't lose that tradition that they have come to know and love. It also goes to show how much the children think about Halloween. If they didn't love it, they would not have dressed up in Sweden where the holiday is not strongly established.
Anon 07:15. Bravo! I enjoyed your accurate, informative and very well written comment so much! Keep 'em coming.
DeleteThank you both for your explanation!
Delete@ Anon 07:15
DeleteNot only in Sweden the holiday is not strongly established. In any of the European countries except maybe in the U.K. children and adults are copying this tradition of disguising themselves. When I was young November 1st or All Saints day was a holiday at school. We went to church in the morning and in the afternoon we went to the cemetary to put flowers on the graves of our ancestors and deceased family members. After that we went home where my grandmother had made pancakes with brown or white sugar, jam or syrup. Now children have a whole week vacation from school and it is called "autumn vacation". Some adults take vacation too and go with their children to an appartment or hotel by the sea or take a plane to a warmer country in the South of Europe where they can enjoy the last beautiful days before the cold season starts. For those who are staying at home there are Halloween party's for teenagers organized by youth clubs, sports clubs, etc... The clubs are decorated with pumpkins, plastic skelets, witches on a broomstick, plastic spiders hanging almost in your glas of beer, etc...and a d.j. who is playing the favourite (dance) music like on any other Saturday night. I don't know if these party's are still very successful or if it something that is slowly disappearing again.
Glad Halloween!
ReplyDeleteAgree! Halloween is so much fun but to each their own!
DeleteMost American kids adore Halloween. Adults love it too!! It’s not only fun to get creative with your costume but they get lots of candy!! This is a holiday where kids walk door to door and neighbors put candy in their bags and admire their costumes. It’s a great way to get outside with friends and family and talk to neighbors. These girls look like they are trying to be spooky. Very fun! Happy Halloween!
ReplyDeleteVery much agree! Halloween is a fun time to let loose and be spooky. It’s a blast!
Delete@Shinystuffbuff You reminded me...every year, my husband and I took our children trick or treating on the street we grew up on (we grew up neighbors). The first stops were to visit the grandparents and take pictures, then take the kids door to door for candy. Each year, the people that watched us grow up got to see our kids, and how big they had gotten in the last year. The neighbors loved catching up with us, and really loved seeing our children. Our kids loved the extra special compliments on their costumes, and sometimes extra candy! They are some of my favorite memories!
DeleteI believe it is very loosely connected to the solemn German Totenfest, the colorful Mexican Dia De Los Muertos, and the reflective Catholic All Souls Day, all of which are occasions for remembering loved ones who have passed away during the previous year. In the religious context it is NOT supposed to be scary! But since as humans we are prone to fear death, it is not surprising that such traditions could morph into scary Halloween.
ReplyDeleteCatholics are remembering their deceased family on All Saints day or November 1st. They go to the grave yard with the family and put flowers on the toombs of their parents or grand parents and other deceased family members. Logically they should do this on All souls day, but it has always been tradition to do it on All Saints day. The young people consider it like a short Autumn vacation and go to the sea to take fresh air.
DeleteIn my country there are halloween party's for teenagers. But that's all. Little children don't dress in costumes and don't walk in the streets. Adults don't dress in costumes for halloween either. Besides with all the immigrants from everywhere our own traditions are disappearing slowly. At night people keep their doors closed and don't open for anybody (especially the elderly). Since everybody has a mobile phone these days one can always call family or the police or an ambulance if necessary. If our family is visiting us and they leave late at night, they jump in their car and we close all doors and windows immediately. Maybe it sounds sad, but that is the way it is right now. There is much more crime than before and we are protecting ourselves as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you live in fear and panic day to day.
Delete@ Anonymous 12:22
DeleteNo we don't live in fear and panic but we are just careful. It is also recommended by the police to older people and to women who live alone : don't open the door for men or women who are not family or you don't know (not even during daytime). Don't tell everywhere that you are living alone in a house or an appartment.
I don't know much about Halloween, the comments have been very interesting and enlightening.
ReplyDeleteAux environs de minuit dans mon immeuble, cela a sonné à ma porte ; deux enfants déguisés m'ont crié "c'est Halloween" ; je n'ai pas du tout ouvert étant d'un naturel méfiant car ils étaient peut-être accompagnés par des adultes cachés sur le palier - Il vaut mieux prévenir que guérir !
ReplyDeleteWhy do you want to raise your children with fear and glorification of death. It is terrible.
ReplyDeleteWho said children are being raised with fear? This is one of their favorite days of the year. No one is glorifying death.
DeleteFor me it's terrible too, this is plain pervert.
DeleteI don’t understand how dressing up in costumes…some of them for sure spooky monsters and such…will make children fear or glorify death? It seems it’s the adults are the fearful ones. Most kids love Halloween and just want to have a bit of fun!
DeleteIn my neighborhood the adults host an outdoor Halloween party…depending on the weather…for the neighborhood children in a local field. Everyone, adults and children, dress up in colorful costumes, play games, enjoy Halloween treats and have lots of fun. It’s very safe and something we look forward to each year.
ReplyDeleteYour neighborhood sounds fun! Lucky you!
DeleteAnon 13:45…it’s a lot of fun. One neighbor dresses up in a full body dinosaur costume, lumbers around growling and inevitably falls over. It takes a lot of muscle from several strong people to get him on his feet again. It’s absolutely hysterical! The children usually dress up as the usual fairies, princesses, ghosts, zombies, vampires or whatever character is popular at the moment. Lots of games and sweet treats. I don’t understand those that think it celebrates death but people have different ideas, To me it’s always been fun!
DeleteHalloween is okay and if you enjoy getting dressed up that is great, but why post the pictures.
ReplyDeleteWhy not post the pictures? Madeleine posts them every year. Wonder if Nicholas got dressed up?
DeleteWhat is wrong with posting the pictures? Serious question.
DeleteLots of fuddy duddy comments. Halloween is fun, kids love dressing up and going trick or treating. Madeleine is right to keep the traditions, I loved the pictures.
ReplyDeleteMe too…Halloween is my favorite time of the year. Of course there are cultures who see it differently as a more gloom and doom sort of thing but then there are others who see it as a fun and happy time.
DeleteHalloween is pretty much what I call a Hallmark holiday--not a real holiday but something commercialized to make money. It's also very American but people in other parts of the world enjoy the fun especially for the children. While my kids were little they loved Halloween because it was fun. Dressing up, trick or treating, carving pumpkins, fun at school--they loved it. I loved it as a child too. Madeleine lived in the US for quite a long time--her children experienced the fun of Halloween. I have no idea what is done in Sweden but perhaps she just wanted her children to have fun as they have been doing for pretty much their whole lives. As for the costumes--there is a scary element of Halloween that many children love to have with their costumes--the whole concept of ghouls and goblins. The girls are cute and probably chose their costumes themselves. That's all that happening here--nothing else. If you like Halloween, fine and participate. If you don't like Halloween, fine and ignore. It is one day out of 365.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Thanks Janet, you summed it up well.
DeleteNot so much a Halloween fan, Were's their brother Nicholas?
ReplyDeletecss
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