If you’re out and about today and see hoards of children sporting costumes and running in and out of shops, don’t worry, you haven’t traveled back in time to October 31st.
Today is Öskudagur in Iceland, a holiday much like Halloween where children dress up and wander around in search of candy. They’ll be on the hunt throughout the day, singing songs in exchange for sweets.
Öskudagur is, in other parts of the world, known as Ash Wednesday and marks the first day of Lent, a time of abstaining from treats or engaging in fasting for 40-days… quite contrary to the idea of stocking up on candy.