Today we asked one of our Finnish teachers to share how the Finns celebrate Easter and to tell us about their traditions.
“Easter gives a break for the Finnish from the familiarities of everyday life. Many of them travel to Lapland to see the last snow of the year.
On Palm Sunday, which is the start of the Holy Week, children dress up as little witches and wizards in colorful costumes and roam the streets going from door to door. They ring the doorbells, shouting their magic spell “Virvon, varvon, tuoreeks terveeks, tulevaks vuodeks; vitsa sulle, palkka mulle.” promising good health in exchange for small gifts, sweets and coins.
A traditional Finnish Easter meal includes lamb and a dark brown pudding made of rye, called mämmi.“