b'SEASONAL FEATURENorway Findland & SweedenIn Norway, Easter time means crimeDressing up as Easter witches is a fun time. Norwegians love crime novelsEaster tradition that young children and detective shows. All TV channelsof Finland & Sweden take part in. are broadcasting crime shows,The kids wear colourful clothing bookstores are lled withwith painted freckles on their freshly-printed detective novels andcheeks, usually on Palm the milk cartons carry short detectiveSunday in eastern Finland and stories on their side during Easter. Holy Saturday in western Finland. The little witches go door-to-door with willow twigs decorated with colourful feathers and crepe paper. Then they recite a rhyming blessing meant to drive away evil spirits in Denmark exchange for a chocolate egg.During Easter period Danes send out anonymous letters. An old Danish Easter tradition involves mailing teaser letters containing a riddle. The letter is oftenPoland & Hungarydecorated with snowdrops and signedIn Poland, pouring water on one another is an Easter with dots that correspond to thetradition called migus-dyngus, a.k.a. Wet Monday. number of letters in the sendersPeople gather on Easter Monday to try and drench name. If the recipient guesses who senteach other with buckets of water, squirt guns, or it, he will get an Easter chocolate egg andanything they can get their hands on. if he doesnt, he will be the one to give aLegend says girls who get soaked Belgium chocolate egg to the sender. on Wet Monday will marry The horse-led Easter parade in Belgium,within the year.Cavalcade de Herve is a parade on"Sprinkling," is a popular horseback that attracts around 50,000Easter tradition in Hungary, visitors each year. Held on Easterits observed on Easter Monday, since 1876, the Cavalcade ofMonday, also known as "Ducking Herve is unique in that its dozens ofMonday." Boys playfully sprinkle colourful oats are all pulled along byperfume or perfumed water on girls after getting local Ardennais and Brabant draughttheir permission to do so. People used to believe horses. This cavalcade has been takingthat water had a cleaning, healing, and place in Herve on Easter Monday since 1876. fertility-inducing eect.SpainThe Semana Santa (Holy Week) has been a Spanish Tradition since medieval times, symbolic of the New Testament account of Jesus capture and crucixion. The traditional hood is designed to keep the wearers identity secret during public atonement for past sins. People will often dress smartly to watch the processions, especially during the second half of the week. Women often dress to the nines while many men brave the sun in full suits. Madrid is an excellent place to watch processions on a grand scale.GreeceItaly In Greece, those who celebrate In Florence, Italy, locals celebrate aEaster through the Orthodox 350-year-old Easter tradition known aschurch forego the typical mix Scoppio del Carro, or "explosion of theof colours when it comes time cart" that is estimated to date all theto dye eggs, instead focusing way back to the First Crusade on red.An ornate cart is loaded with reworksThe eggs are doubly symbolic and then led through the streets bysince they use the eggs to people in colorful 15th century costumes.represent rebirth and the colour red Once the cart reaches the Duomo, thefor Jesus blood. Archbishop of Florence lights a fuse from inside the church during Easter mass, sparking a lively reworks display.The Networker Spring 2024 19.'