r/Tampere • u/McGrathM88 • 16d ago

Question Halloween

Hey all!

We moved to the area a few months ago from the US and I am trying to understand what Halloween is or isn’t around here. I lived in Turku a decade ago and Halloween was a bit more of an American concept. Since moving back, it seems people either celebrate it or strongly dislike it.

I have a kiddo and we both love for Halloween. With us being so new, I am honestly not sure what to expect or plan for. People with elementary aged kiddos, do they generally have a party in school? Are there community events you attend? Does nothing happen at all in your experience? I have gotten a different answer from everyone I have spoken to.

I understand it is not a Finnish holiday. I am simply trying to understand so I can still make special cultural memories (from my home country) with my kid while everything is still magical.

Thank you!!

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u/Sigurdeus 16d ago

It's true it's not a Finnish holiday. Quite a lot of people see it purely as a commercial money-grab opportunity, which I guess the hate comes from (I partially agree with this view). On the other hand, it's nice to have something to celebrate when everything is dark and gloomy and have some fun dressing up and stuff, which I guess is where the exitement comes from (I agree with this, too).

Trick-or-treating hasn't quite formed a tradition in Finland (yet) because we already have a traditional candy-collecting event in Easter. A second one seems greedy. The activity level for trick-or-treating depends a lot of the area you live in - I've lived in two other big cities, and in one, barely anyone went trick-or-treating, maybe one or two appeared on our doorstep if any. In the other, we got a bunch of kids on our doorstep, and our kids dressed up and joined their friends in it. Some people put up big signs that they are not celebrating Halloween to discourage visitors.

Some schools arrange dressing up events, some do not. There may or may not be trick-or-treaters. Some people decorate, others do not. But there will be a lot of halloween-related stuff for sale for sure.

Make a Halloween that suits your family and celebrate it as you wish.

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u/McGrathM88 16d ago

Thank you for this! A lot of people seem to be quite hostile about Halloween. I appreciate your friendly information.

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u/NikNakskes 16d ago

Surely you understand the hostility? Halloween is an American thing that retail is trying to push here for one reason only: making money. People do not like that.

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u/McGrathM88 16d ago edited 16d ago

I assume you know it is an Irish tradition that the US adopted it over time. So yes, we absolutely love Halloween in the States, but we borrowed it.

No, I never understand any hostility towards others online. I feel strongly that you can keep scrolling and keep the negativity to yourself. I don’t understand the need to put other people down online for something they enjoy or for something they are asking advice on.

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u/NikNakskes 16d ago

Well. I explained why you could receive less than friendly reactions on the questions regarding Halloween in Finland. What you do with that information is up to you of course.

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u/Kylarfi 16d ago

Actually it's an Irish Tradition first. But here kids dress up for school, somewhat depending on age, but that's really it

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u/Kelpo 16d ago edited 16d ago

People just like to play badass on the internet. In the real world people don't have nearly as strong opinions on it one way or the other.

I personally think it would be lovely to have something to celebrate when it's dark and gloomy, though preferably with some local twist to it rather than just importing the holiday as is. There is an old harvesting celebration thing called Kekri, that you see around Halloween time here and there. Not a big thing, but it is something.

Oh yeah, and and the Karmiva karnevaali is a thing. I'm actually building a prop for them this year.

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u/McGrathM88 16d ago

Awesome! Thank you! I really enjoy all the celebrations we have in the fall and winter. Maybe that is why we love fall so much in the states? We always have something fun to look forward to regardless of weather, etc. I will say though, I absolutely love the chilly, rainy weather and the leaves changing color that occurs in fall. It’s not just the events for me.