Halloween

[nikskate]

Is trick or treat a common holiday here? Is there a place where I can take my kids to do it? Do I have to stack up on candies and treats?

[heretostay]

No, trick or treat does not happen in Finland. Although at Easter, children dress up as witches and go door to door for treats. Read more about that here: https://www.gofinland.fi/blog/easter-in-finland/

[wolf80]

Is trick or treat a common holiday here? Is there a place where I can take my kids to do it? Do I have to stack up on candies and treats?

I would not advise taking your children trick-or-treating, it won't be a very positive experience for them. Halloween simply is not a thing in Finland. It's very rare to see children trying to trick-or-treat on Halloween, I think the last time I personally saw some was many years ago. And then only in a completely residential area with one-family-houses.

People don't stock up on candy or are appreciative of Halloween at all, so your children will experience:
- most people not opening the door at all after seeing you through the window or spyhole
- people reacting indifferent or even angry to your request for candy, telling you to go away.
- people lecturing you about Halloween not being a Finnish custom.

If you 'trick' people in Finland you have a good chance that next you will have to deal with the police. Any kind of property defacement or even damage is strictly forbidden. So don't even think about taking those toilet paper rolls along, unless you are prepared to hire a good lawyer.

Your children will be disappointed without the Halloween they are used to, but it will not be the only time after moving to a new country. Show them all the customs of Finland they might enjoy, and teach them to respect your host country.

[nikskate]

Is trick or treat a common holiday here? Is there a place where I can take my kids to do it? Do I have to stack up on candies and treats?

I would not advise taking your children trick-or-treating, it won't be a very positive experience for them. Halloween simply is not a thing in Finland. It's very rare to see children trying to trick-or-treat on Halloween, I think the last time I personally saw some was many years ago. And then only in a completely residential area with one-family-houses.

People don't stock up on candy or are appreciative of Halloween at all, so your children will experience:
- most people not opening the door at all after seeing you through the window or spyhole
- people reacting indifferent or even angry to your request for candy, telling you to go away.
- people lecturing you about Halloween not being a Finnish custom.

If you 'trick' people in Finland you have a good chance that next you will have to deal with the police. Any kind of property defacement or even damage is strictly forbidden. So don't even think about taking those toilet paper rolls along, unless you are prepared to hire a good lawyer.

Your children will be disappointed without the Halloween they are used to, but it will not be the only time after moving to a new country. Show them all the customs of Finland they might enjoy, and teach them to respect your host country.

Thanks for answering. It'll be my kid's "supposedly" 1st halloween so there will be no disappointment in his part. More of a disappointment for me but I'll get over it

[mdn]

Thanks for answering. It'll be my kid's "supposedly" 1st halloween so there will be no disappointment in his part.

So as it had been said - wait for Easter and be ready for it.
Sorry I do not remember exactly now - is it Easter or 1 week before Easter.

"Virvon varvon tuoreeks terveeks tulevaks vuodeks. Vitsa sulle, palkka mulle"

[Upphew]

Thanks for answering. It'll be my kid's "supposedly" 1st halloween so there will be no disappointment in his part.

So as it had been said - wait for Easter and be ready for it.
Sorry I do not remember exactly now - is it Easter or 1 week before Easter.

"Virvon varvon tuoreeks terveeks tulevaks vuodeks. Vitsa sulle, palkka mulle"

Check palm sunday on wikipedia.

[Raaflaub]

As my son discovered. No matter how much we tried to explain to him, he just would not believe it, and he has been/temporarily lived in Finland a lot!

So they went (including his local cousins), five houses and it was over.

The response from the people was apologetic, not rude by any stretch. In the end, 1/5 had candy . At such a poor profit margin, the children gave up and returned home.