Description

Did you know that in Finland, children celebrate Easter by dressing up as witches? Sounds a bit like Halloween, doesn’t it? While it might look like a misplaced Halloween, this unique tradition is actually a fascinating blend of ancient religious blessings and some surprisingly dark superstitions.

In this episode, we explore why these “Easter witches” appear on Palm Sunday—or on Lankalauantai (Holy Saturday, or “Yarn Saturday”, the literal translation, if you will) if you find yourself in the west of the country. We dive into the history of the trullit: the old-time witches who were once believed to creep into neighbours’ barns to steal “livestock luck” (karjaonni). You will learn why Holy Saturday was once considered the most dangerous night of the year—a time when the protective influence of the divine was at its lowest, and the only way to keep malevolent spirits at bay was through the thick smoke and soaring sparks of a massive bonfire. The discussion also explores how these gritty Western beliefs eventually merged with the gentler Eastern Finnish and Karelian Orthodox tradition of virvonta—a tradition typically held on Palm Sunday, where children dress up in various costumes (ranging from traditional witches to bunnies and other animals) and go door-to-door. They offer decorated willow twigs to neighbours while reciting a short rhyme, receiving sweets or chocolate eggs in return.

In this episode, Riina also shares her own childhood memories of virvonta. She recalls growing up in Puistola, Helsinki, where the nearby open fields were the perfect place to gather these branches for the coming holiday. She describes the craft of decorating the twigs with colourful crepe paper and feathers, turning them into the physical “blessings” given to neighbours. However, she also shares the slightly impractical reality of growing up with an allergic mother; because the willow catkins are a common allergen, these “blessings” often had to stay in a vase on the porch rather than coming inside the house.

The package includes an audio, a full transcript, a Finnish–English vocabulary list, multiple-choice comprehension questions, and a complete answer key for guided self-study. This Finnish listening exercise lasts approximately 8 minutes and features a monologue by Riina, using typical Southern Finnish speech patterns. This episode is best suited for intermediate Finnish learners at B1–B2 level. The natural, spoken pace and the use of colloquial forms offer an excellent challenge to practise spoken Finnish, especially for B1 learners, who will likely rely on the transcript and glossary to follow the more detailed historical and religious explanations. B2 learners will find this a perfect exercise for refining their real-time Finnish listening comprehension. At the B2 level, the value lies in following Riina’s spontaneous shifts from concrete childhood memories to more abstract discussion on folklore and the merging of regional traditions. In particular, it offers a chance to familiarise oneself with vocabulary on belief, superstition, and cultural evolution. Ambitious A2 learners may find the pace and the length of the sentences challenging but can use the materials as a structured stretch exercise to familiarise themselves with authentic spoken Finnish.

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