Easter traditions

Anneli Kanto 2017 : Vilma Virtanen virpomassa
illustrated by Noora Katto

The five Virtanens are back! Or actually they never left. There has been a steady flow of books . This time Easter is just around the corner and on Palm Sunday it is tradition (at least in some parts of Finland, I know that in Ostrobotnia this tradion takes place on Maundy Thursday) for children to go ask for candy. Just like they go Trick or Treating for Halloween in the US. Only on Easter the kids dress up as witches and now cats and bunnies. They also decorate willow branches which they give in return for the candy.

The Virtanen's have planned to do the branches during the week, but all of sudden it is Saturday and it is snowing. The kids have very low motivation to get the branches. But they do. All the children decorate with their own style, even the boys are motivated, due to the chocolate they will get as payment.

Decorating willow branches for Easter

The youngest, Kastehelmi, wants to dress as a princess, which is ok. The first lady they want to wish good health tells them not to mix the western tradition of Easter witches to the Easter branch tradition of the east. Vilma, who is a bit shy and introvert, wants to go home. Luckily the younger kids encourage her to come along.

In the next house, Vilma forgets the rhyme! She panics, but Kastehelmi knows a rhyme, but it is not the right one. The lady in that house helps the children with a start and then Vilma remembers the rhyme too: "virvon, varvon, tuoreeks terveeks..."

When you are on a Easter tour, you have to be brave, thankful and polite. A lot for small children. When you read this book, as a parent, you also understad that not everything has to go by the plan. And let the children learn by doing. 

Folksong book with sound

edited by Maija Karhinen-Ilo, Leena Järvenpää and Katariina Heilala: Soiva kansanlaulukirja
played by Freija
illustrated by Päivi Arenius

Can a six-year old be nostalgic? That is the feel I get, when my youngest son listens to this book. I remember that I used sing these songs to him, when he was a baby. The songs a are traditional songs.  I guess they are hard coded to all Finns and most of them have a melancholy tones. Except those originating from Sweden.

The song in the picture "Ololonkos" is about asking, if the other has kittens in a bag. I have always thought that as a horrible thing, but now I see that they meant the willow flowers that are called "pajunkissa", a willow cat.  They are the kittens in a bag. What a relief!

Kittens in bags.  The willow's flowers are so soft
that they are called cats, pajunkissa

24 steps to Christmas

Kaisa & Aleksi Kuokka 2013: 24 askelta jouluun

This  book is not a Children's book, but it is a good book to get into the Christmas spirit. It may be too much for trying to do all the book has instructions for, but you can start with some this year and then some more next year.

The book combines the traditional elements of Christmas, like Himmeli a traditional Christmas decoration with some more modern cuisine such as Spanish appertizers.

I have tried making a Himmeli but the straws split very easily, in this book they make it look really easy.


The book is illustrated with lovely pictures of the different foods and crafts.

Traditional straw decoration

The book also gives advise how wrapp gifts. I am not very good at that and this book didn't help me at all. I usually go to Pentik to see how the girls there wrap anything in a beautiful way.