Easter is this Sunday, and we’ll be missing the homemade sausages, family gatherings and searching for baskets, but we have plenty to look forward to here in Finland! While reading Culture Shock, Finland I came across this…
“Easter is a Finnish version of Halloween; children dress up as witches or trolls, with trick-or-treat style traditions. The doorbell rings and you are reminded that it is Palm Sunday when you open the door and see three girl-hags clad in shawls and clutching pussy-willow twigs adorned with pink and yellow feathers. ‘Give us coins or candy,’ they shriek. The Easter chicken delivers Easter eggs during the night when children are asleep.”
Good thing I came across this! Otherwise we’d be absolutely shocked and confused to see little witches and trolls at our door shrieking gibberish at us. While I do find this tradition strange/interesting there is one thing that makes a whole lot more sense than one of our traditions…The Easter chicken. I never did understand why a bunny was delivering eggs, a chicken (while arguably less cute) is much more understandable. Now I’m off to buy some candy!
The Wild Rose 