Is it it common for children to go trick or treating in Finland?
– Should you have candy at home expecting kids to come?
– Would people think that its odd if a kid comes knocking on the door in a witch costume or would it be something that is just fun?

by Cyoor

34 comments

  1. We did this as kids to get free candy 20 years ago. about 1/3 people gave candy 2/3 Told us to gtfo, we are not in usa.

  5. I remember it was common in my childhood but nowdays I don’t see that happening very often. I’m still prepared if some neighbours come. It would be fun!. I live in countryside.

  6. Trick or treating isn’t common here in Finland even though kids dress up for Halloween in school.

  7. We did buy a bag of candy in case kids drop by, it doesn’t happened each year but it’s nice to have something to give if they do show up

  8. They are common where i live, i buy couple of bags of candy and hand them out .

  9. I’m going to send my two youngest (6 and 8) to their grandmas to trick or treat. The idea of knocking on a strangers door and asking for sweets is ridiculous. What do people think this is, virpominen?

  10. while it could be a fun new thing, the fact is that we already have a similar tradition in the eastertime when dressed up kids go from door to door asking for candy. that is why we are kinda reluctant to add trick or treating to our festive calendar.

    nothing wrong with halloween parties and decorations and such though.

  11. Check you local FB Puskaradio. Usually there they make an agreement locally, what houses to are for trick and treating.

  12. One already showed up yesterday. During previous years Halloween has been more common than Easter where I live.

  13. We had Kekri which was a similar harvest fest than Halloween was in the Celtic tradition.

    I think we should celebrate Kekri, instead of Halloween 

  14. Virpominen is a vastly superior tradition because it exchanges goods for payment. Trick or treat is just blackmail.

  15. My very Finnish step son is a huge fan of Halloween, has been enthralled with the aesthetic since he was a toddler.

    He’s dressing up for school and is very much planning to go trick or treating later, though I’m not sure if he’ll be very successful. We live on the top floor of an apartment building, I don’t think we’ll get many visitors ourselves 🙁

  16. It depends on the area. Areas of Espoo are quite active. We live in Leslie Usimaa and for the last two years my kids have done trick or treating. No one is nasty but not everyone is prepared. I hope to build support by doing it . As long as the kids love it I’m happy to support

  17. Some kids are going to go Trick or Treating, but the context in which it’s seen is different from how people in US see it.

    People will be either ”Look at them cuties! They’re imitating the American Thing. How adorable!” or ”Look at the poor children. They’re unwittimgly copying the American Thing. I wonder who put them up to it? (Followed by a tirade about preserving our own heritage and not copying shallow, commercial US sales campaigns in a mindlessly consumeristic fashion. Possibly some grumbling about how no-one celebrates ”Kekri” anymore)

    Practically no-one would be genuinely unaware on why kids are dressing up as monsters an going Trick or Treatining. Everyone in Finland recognises the trappings of US Halloween. If someone goes ”what Halloween” they are conveying their disapproval – not lack of knowledge.

  19. At least you shouldn’t be expected to have candy.

    Besides, if someone comes knocking and a asking for trick or treat, you can just show them a trick instead of giving them a treat. Sounds logical, no? I bet some simple card trick will suffice, so keep a deck ready just in case.

    If they instead say it in Finnish, “karkki vai kepponen” (candy or prank), you are legally obligated to prank them if you don’t have any candy to give. So go throw some toilet paper at their house or something, IDK.

  20. Yeah it’s not common at all. Might seem kinda weird that I actually used to go trick or treating with some friends when I was a kid like 20 years ago & when we threw these small halloween parties for friends. Only went to ppl’s doors who we knew in the neighborhood tho, but I guess it was even more rare and strange then.

  21. I’ve never seen nor heard anyone go trick or treating here tbh.

  22. Few years ago there were kids at my door trying this. I had hungover so I just said no and closed the door soon as I saw that it was not pizza man.

  23. People partaking in this are actively eroding Finnish culture in favor of the global consumer one, soon we all can enjoy Halloween merch and fill the pockets of vast corporations.

  24. It’s gotten more popular around where I live, and the Easter virpominen has died out. Last year we got maybe 5 visits of dressed up kids. So I have candy ready again this year.

    But I have a lot of decorations as well in and around my house so maybe they know it’s a good chance I have candy.

  25. No. Fcuk off with your consumerism American calendar feasts.

  26. Last year my family had one group of trick or treaters so I will get candy just in case this year.

  27. It’s not super rare but not that common either so most people don’t have candy at home but having it certainly doesn’t hurt, and that essentially means that the people who are prepared think it’s fun if someone comes knocking on the door and the rest of them are slightly annoyed/embarrassed because they’re unprepared or they don’t want to celebrate it.

  28. > Should you have candy at home expecting kids to come?

    Nope

    > Would people think that its odd if a kid comes knocking on the door in a witch costume or would it be something that is just fun? 

    Yup

    What’s next? Celebrating Thanksgiving? Columbus Day? 

  29. Strangers are unlikely to have anything, unless some kind of a childrens’ event has been arranged. Finnish people put up decorations, but as far as I know as a finn, trick or treating isn’t much of a thing.

    We have a similar thing to trick and treating, but it’s on easter and kids only dress up as witches.

  30. These kiddos caught me off guard two years ago so we got toilet-papered. Last year I bought candies, 2 kids showed up in total. Was left with shitty candy. This year I bought nice candy, so if only 2 show up, I still have nice candy for myself.

  31. I personally hate halloween and I hate trick or treaters (I just hate the whole commercial bs that isn’t part of our culture) but there’s kids now in this apartment building so if they come ring my doorbell I have the cheapest candy possible ready… because kids are alright… no need to give them the impression everyone’s got a stick up their ass (even I basically do) lol

  32. If you want to do Trunk or Treating, there’s a group of Finns and US people getting together at Maunulan Maja in Helsinki starting at 18 tonight

  33. It is way more common than 5 years ago.

    So, have to stock up some easy to give candy for any door knockers on the weekend.

    Any that brave being greeted by our dogs definitely deserve a reward 🎃

  34. Nah, I don’t have candy on Halloween but anyone that comes to my place on nov 2th can help themselves to any food, sweet or drink from our family altar.

    Kids do get Halloween parties and dress up but they don’t go out to ask for candy, it’s just an indoor party at someone’s house / school gym/ youth association building.

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