A northern Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday - Palmusunnuntai

In Finland, willow twigs are used instead of palm leaves to celebrate Palm Sunday. In preparation for Palm Sunday, children collect willow twigs with willow catkins. They decorate the twigs with colorful feathers, adding strips of paper, ribbon and other cute little things.

On Palm Sunday, the children dress up as witches, and carrying their baskets full of decorated willow twigs, they go door to door in the neighborhood. They give you a willow twig in exchange for sweets, coins or little Easter eggs. But before handing the twig, they recite the magic verse: "Virvon varvon tuoreeks terveeks tulevaks vuodeks. Vitsa sulle, palkka mulle." It's a wish for happiness, good health and a good year, but originally, it was meant to chase away evil spirits. This tradition is also known as virpominen.


willow = paju
willow twig = pajunoksa
willow catkin = pajunkissa