Easter traditions in Finland
We have the tradition called "virpominen" on Palm Sunday, it stems from Orthodox beliefs mixed with old Finnish pagan traditions. Little children, mostly girls, decorate pussy willow branches with stuff like ribbons, feathers and stuff, dress up as witches (not Halloween style, but like homely and colorful and adorable, and they usually paint rouge smudges and over- sized freckles on their cheeks ), sometimes cats as a witch's familiar, or Easter bunnies.
They go around the neighborhood from house to house, ring the doorbell and wave the branches reciting a spell- like poem that's supposed to promise prosperity and health for the next year. Then they exchange one of the branches for a coin or a piece of candy.
I used to do that stuff when I was little, only about two times because I never had anyone to go with, I was very short on friends. I remember going with a kindergarten friend named Elisa, it was one of my best childhood memories. A year later it was snowing on Palm Sunday, I went with a neighbor named Armi whose older brother hated me, and I still don't know why. She was three years younger than me, practically a toddler, and every time the neighbors gave me a piece of candy, she told me I should give it to her because it's fair.
Then there's Via Crucis, where a theater group re- enacts the last moments of Jesus according to the Bible. This year the Romans wore SWAT outfits and Jesus wore handcuffs, in order to make it more modern and realistic.
And the worst of all, there's mämmi, the traditional Easter food made of oatmeal which looks and tastes like shit. It's my mother's favorite food, but I guess that most old people like it more than my generation that was raised on cheeseburgers.
As for me, I just with the holidays were over. Meanwhile, I'm visiting my parents, eating chocolate eggs and jelly beans and healing my broken heart.
They go around the neighborhood from house to house, ring the doorbell and wave the branches reciting a spell- like poem that's supposed to promise prosperity and health for the next year. Then they exchange one of the branches for a coin or a piece of candy.
I used to do that stuff when I was little, only about two times because I never had anyone to go with, I was very short on friends. I remember going with a kindergarten friend named Elisa, it was one of my best childhood memories. A year later it was snowing on Palm Sunday, I went with a neighbor named Armi whose older brother hated me, and I still don't know why. She was three years younger than me, practically a toddler, and every time the neighbors gave me a piece of candy, she told me I should give it to her because it's fair.
Then there's Via Crucis, where a theater group re- enacts the last moments of Jesus according to the Bible. This year the Romans wore SWAT outfits and Jesus wore handcuffs, in order to make it more modern and realistic.
And the worst of all, there's mämmi, the traditional Easter food made of oatmeal which looks and tastes like shit. It's my mother's favorite food, but I guess that most old people like it more than my generation that was raised on cheeseburgers.
As for me, I just with the holidays were over. Meanwhile, I'm visiting my parents, eating chocolate eggs and jelly beans and healing my broken heart.