Lil’ snippets of my new book Kitchen Witch: Food, Folklore, and Fairy tale
The Easter Witches of Sweden
Not all witches in folklore are portrayed as bad; some are connected to joyful folklore traditions (but like many, they may have a dark past). In Sweden and Finland, it is an Easter tradition for children to dress as paskkarringar – Easter witches. They dress up as little hag figures, wearing headscarves, and with rosy cheeks painted on their faces. These little old folks carry copper kettles and cauldrons to hold their bounty, as they go door-to-door wishing people a happy Easter and receiving sweets in return. They may also use their birch and feather brooms to sweep away bad luck.
The tradition is based around folklore that before Easter, witches would fly to the Island of Blakulla to feast and dance with the Devil, who held his earthly parties in meadows on this island during the Witches' Sabbath. (Blakulla is a real island in the Baltic Sea, but it is referred to most often now as Blå Jungfrun, The Blue Maiden, because sea-lore suggests that saying the island’s real name whilst at sea would brew up a storm.) As the witches were on their flight back from their revels, Swedes would light fires to scare them away, a practice honoured today by the bonfires and fireworks across the land in the days leading up to Easter Sunday.
The paskkarring tradition has been around since at least the early nineteenth century, though originally it was teenagers and young adults who dressed up to cause mischief, like guisers in England. Like many traditions before it, the act of warding against witches and casting out evils has become to some, a celebration of witches, and to others, a chance for revelry and games.
Witchy traditions in Sweden include both the cheerful Easter Witches welcoming in the springtide and that household poppet figure: The Kitchen Witch. In Sweden, at least in modern times, it seems the witch is a favourable symbol, and to have a witch in your house brings good luck and blessings.
A Bright and Happy Easter to all, may your copper kettles overflow with abundance!
xxx