Halloween in Sweden 2026: Bus eller Godis, Costumes & Fun Ideas for Kids
Celebrating Halloween in Sweden with kids? Find out when to go bus eller godis, where to find costumes and decorations, 3 easy DIY ideas and the difference between Halloween and Alla helgons dag.
Halloween in Sweden can be slightly confusing if you did not grow up here.
The pumpkins look familiar.
The costumes look familiar.
Then someone mentions Alla helgons dag, your neighbour says children might come for bus eller godis, and suddenly you are wondering:
Wait. Which day are we actually celebrating?
Here is the short parent guide.
No spooky bureaucracy required.
When is Halloween in Sweden in 2026?
Easy one:
Saturday, 31 October 2026
Halloween is always on 31 October.
And in 2026, it falls on a Saturday, which is rather convenient for families.
In Sweden, trick-or-treating can be a little less fixed than in countries such as the US. Children may go bus eller godis on 31 October or around the same period, so local neighbourhood traditions can vary.
What is “bus eller godis”?
It is simply the Swedish version of:
Trick or treat!
Children dress up, knock on doors and say:
Bus eller godis?
Usually, the preferred answer is very much:
Godis.
Which houses should you knock on?
There is no national trick-or-treat rulebook.
A sensible approach is to:
- follow what families in your neighbourhood are doing
- check local parent or neighbourhood groups
- favour homes with pumpkins or Halloween decorations
- accompany younger children
In some areas Halloween is huge.
In others, you may walk three streets and encounter one pumpkin and a slightly confused neighbour.
Both are possible.
Where to find Halloween costumes and decorations in Sweden
Halloween does not have to mean buying an expensive new costume your child may wear for one evening.
Children grow quickly, and costumes are often worn only once or twice.
So second hand is a very good place to start.
Try second hand first
Popular options in Sweden include:
Facebook Marketplace — useful for costumes and decorations locally, especially if you need something quickly.
Vinted — good for searching children's costumes, Halloween clothes and accessories by size.
Blocket — worth checking for costumes, decorations and Halloween items.
Sellpy — has second-hand children's fancy-dress clothes and accessories.
Tradera — often has costumes, masks, accessories and seasonal items.
Myrorna — check both physical second-hand stores and online.
You can also try local loppis — flea markets, neighbourhood groups and parent groups.
And if you have friends with children around the same age, a costume swap is probably one of the easiest options.
Search like a Swede
If you only search for “Halloween costume”, you may miss listings.
Try:
- maskerad
- maskeradkläder
- utklädnad
- barnkostym
- Halloween barn
- Halloween dekorationer
Buying new?
If second hand does not produce the exact witch, vampire or extremely specific dinosaur your child has requested, you can also buy new.
Butterick’s — costumes, wigs, masks, makeup and Halloween accessories.
Partykungen — costumes, decorations, party supplies and bus eller godis accessories.
Many larger Swedish shops also bring in seasonal Halloween decorations, craft materials, lights, buckets and small costume accessories during October.
One very Swedish costume question
Before buying anything, ask:
Can a fleece or jacket fit underneath it?
Because your tiny vampire may also need to stay warm.
3 easy DIY Halloween ideas
You absolutely do not need a Pinterest qualification.
The five-minute ghost
You need:
- an old white sheet or oversized white T-shirt
- black felt, paper or fabric for the face
Done.
For younger children, avoid anything that covers the face or limits vision.
Egg-carton spiders
You need:
- an empty egg carton
- paint
- pipe cleaners or strips of paper
- googly eyes if you have them
Cut out one section, paint it and add eight legs.
Make several and hide them around the house.
Congratulations.
You now own considerably more spiders than necessary.
No-carve mini pumpkins
For small children, skip the knife.
Use:
- mini pumpkins
- washable markers
- stickers
- paper eyes
- child-safe craft materials
Children can make funny, scary or completely inexplicable pumpkin faces.
Much easier.
Much less stressful.
Halloween vs Alla helgons dag: are they the same?
No.
This is probably the most useful thing for international parents to know.
Halloween **31 October**
Costumes, pumpkins, parties and bus eller godis.
Alla helgons dag A Swedish public holiday observed on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November.
It is traditionally a quieter day when many people remember loved ones who have died and visit cemeteries to light candles.
And in 2026, something interesting happens:
They fall on the same day.
Saturday, 31 October 2026.
That does not make them the same celebration.
One may involve a five-year-old dressed as a skeleton asking neighbours for sweets.
The other is a quiet tradition of remembrance.
Sweden somehow has room for both.
Looking for Halloween activities?
Halloween also falls around höstlov — the autumn school break, so museums, libraries, attractions and other venues often organise special activities for children.
You may find:
- pumpkin activities
- spooky museum programmes
- crafts
- ghost walks
- theatre
- family events
- bus eller godis events
Find Halloween activities near you
Check SchoolReviews Kids’ Activities for current family events and Halloween activities happening around Sweden.
Halloween 2026 in 30 seconds
- Halloween: Saturday, 31 October 2026.
- Trick or treat: Bus eller godis; neighbourhood traditions vary.
- Costumes: Second-hand, swapped or homemade are all fine.
- Alla helgons dag: Also 31 October in 2026, but a different tradition.
- Things to do: Browse Kids’ Activities for current events.
Halloween in Sweden does not need to be complicated.
Find a costume — second hand is perfectly fine.
Make something slightly spooky.
Ask around before starting your bus eller godis route.
Keep a few sweets near the door.
And if your child discovers that knocking on neighbours' doors can result in free candy, you may find that Halloween requires very little additional explanation.
Sources
- Nordiska museet — Halloween — cultural background on Halloween and bus eller godis.
- Svenska kyrkan — Halloween and Alla helgons dag — the difference between the traditions.
- Sellpy, Tradera and Myrorna — second-hand shopping.
- Butterick’s and Partykungen — costumes and party supplies.
Halloween traditions vary between neighbourhoods and families. Check local arrangements before planning your bus eller godis route.