Written by Kelsey
03 Nov 2025
Halloween is a huge celebration in the United States. How does Halloween in Sweden match up? I was pleasantly surprised to find out that many elements were similar, from haunted theme parks to Halloween costumes. Of course, it’s not exactly the same, but it reminded me of home. Either way, actively romanticizing fall makes the season even better!
As an American, I’ve grown up celebrating Halloween every year. As a kid, I grew up dressing up in costumes to go trick-or-treating, attending fall festivals, and collecting stashes of candy that would last for months. My friends and I would go to a haunted corn maze and hayride, where scare actors jumped out with chainsaws. In college, many people go all out for Halloweekend. It’s not just a one-day celebration, but a weekend full of parties, themed events, and different costumes. There are also more chill ways to celebrate, like painting pumpkins, going to a pumpkin patch, and watching Halloween movies from the comfort of your home.
Halloween the Swedish Way
Halloween is a relatively recent celebration in Sweden. Inspired by the US traditions, Sweden started celebrating Halloween in the mid-1990s. Because Halloween came to Sweden from the US, many of the activities are similar– costume parties, horror movies, and trick-or-treating. I looked into pumpkin patches, but unfortunately, none were accessible by public transportation from Gothenburg. Compared to the US, I haven’t seen many houses and yards adorned with elaborate Halloween decorations here. But seeing a giant jack-o-lantern outside the Mölndal City Library brought a smile to my face.
Sweden also celebrates a public holiday, All Saints Day or Alla Helgons Dag, the first weekend of November. Cemeteries are lit up with candles, as people visit to honor loved ones who have passed away, which is an interesting contrast to the festive Halloween vibes. If you’re curious about All Saints Day, you can read about Maël’s experience here.
How I Celebrated Halloween in Sweden
This year, my friends and I went to Liseberg. We found discounted student tickets through Mecenat, and had a fun Halloween-themed night. Aside from the roller coasters, they had spooky decorations in scare zones, from zombies to clowns. Scare actors (with very creepy colored contact lenses) snuck up on us as we wandered around the park. We were feeling brave and decided to go into a haunted house with a 7 deadly sins theme. We may or may not have held hands the entire time, but we survived! It definitely got me in the Halloween spirit.
Florida is the land of amusement parks, so Liseberg reminded me of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights. One year in college, I went with friends from high school. It was definitely scarier, and the haunted houses felt very professional and thoughtfully curated. But the tickets were way more expensive and the wait times were longer. Plus, instead of driving 2-3 hours to Orlando, I walked 10 minutes to Liseberg this year. Overall, both were super fun. Celebrating Halloween at a theme park reminded me of home!
I don’t know if this is just my friends, but Europeans seem to be more hesitant about dressing up for Halloween. Some of them said they haven’t dressed up since they were kids! Still, I was able to convince a couple of my friends to go to a Halloween-themed club to celebrate. As we were waiting in line, I was surprised to plenty of costumes, which reminded me of the US. I was impressed by the makeup looks, with lots of face paint and fake blood. This year, I went the sustainable route and dressed up as Kim Possible with items I already own. Unfortunately, I forgot that Kim Possible is an American cartoon, so no one really recognized me. Still, it was a fun night, and now I have a better idea of what to expect for next year!
Cozy Fall Activities
Ultimately, I think Halloween is what you make of it! I choose to romanticize the fall season. It’s actually really exciting for me, because growing up in Florida, I’ve never experienced a real fall before. Fall here is absolutely gorgeous, with the leaves turning beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red. The weather is cooler here, so I’m trading in my usual Florida iced teas for hot chai lattes. And I was so happy when I found Halloween-decorated donuts to bring to a cozy afternoon of board games and fika with friends. It’s the little things that bring you joy and help you enjoy the season to the fullest!
So, what is Halloween like in Sweden?
Naturally, Swedish Halloween won’t be exactly like the American version. There are definitely elements I missed this year, like the corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and decorations. But overall, I still had a fun time celebrating Halloween in Sweden! I definitely recommend checking out Halloween at Liseberg, because it was a great mix of fun and scary activities. Once you remove your expectations and romanticize the little things, I’m confident that you’ll enjoy your Halloween and fall season in Sweden.
