On the Thursday before Easter in Sweden the prettiest little “Easter Witches” appear. Young girls dress up with scarves over their heads and make-up on their faces. They roam from house to house delivering Easter cards, singing and asking for sweets to fill their coffee pots before departing on their broomsticks towards the Brocken!

While Australian children hunt for hollow chocolate Easter eggs, Swedish children receive Easter eggs filled with lollies on Easter Eve. A birch twig decorated with coloured feathers is the Easter symbol and as the long awaited Easter holidays approach, these colourful charms fill the markets while children set up Easter decorations and paint eggs in a rainbow of different colours.