Easter - Finland's Halloween

Virvon varvon tuoreeks terveeks, tulevaks vuuveks!

Kui monta urpaa nii monta uuhta,

kui monta varpaa nii monta vasikkaa,

kui monta oksaa nii monta orhii,

kui monta lehtee nii monta lehmää,

kui monta latvaa nii monta lammasta.

The above is a sampling of the Finnish version of "Trick or Treat"

The Easter tradition is strong in Finland, and every Easter morning little Finnish children dress up as witches and carry baskets containing coffee, eggs and other things. These suit covered witches go knocking on doors and chanting various verses for treats. The more children that come to your more home the more luck and blessings upon the house. And for the kids the more houses they manage to get you is one of honor... and treats.

The above is most common that I heard. Approximately. It is a blessing on the new year and upon the house.

The children are then given chocolates and other goodies.

This tradition is call "Virpominen".

It has to do with how people greeted Jesus in Jerusalem with palm branches. However in this case its pussy willow branches decorated with little eggs and colorful feathers, ribbons and papers. It is also common to gift the houses with these branches along with various blessings.

The verse above is approximately translated as:

By this branch I wish you much health and greetings on this new year

with many catkins, many eyes

with many branches, many calves

with many buds, many stallions,

with many leaves, many cows

with many branches, many sheep

(full of error, it was written in a dialect, but this is the gist of it) If someone wants to have a better translation, comment and I'll work harder at it! Or submit one...which ever :)

I just thought this was nifty :) I had never heard of it before. Apparently its roots come from Karjala and is also influenced a little by Russia.