It was Valentine's Day last week and I was out with friends in the morning. Incidentally, Valentine's Day here in Finland is called "Friendship Day"....a concept I can get behind. Anyway, one of my friends told me to beware of children pelting people with candy on our way back home. Not your usual warning. So it turns out that the last day of classes was that day (or some such graduation-related situation) and it is Finnish tradition for the graduating seniors to dress up in costumes and ride around in industrial trucks throwing candy at the crowds of people gathered to watch the spectacle. It's like a parade, but with overly excited teenagers with candy.
We weren't sure what to expect based on my friend's vague warning. We thought that there would be random groups of teens dressed in different colored jumpers (the usual event garb for school goers) going around pelting people on the sidewalks as they went by. We had no idea of the magnitude of this event. It was well organized, and very well attended. It was difficult to get by on the sidewalks while the parade was in full swing, and the parade was in full swing for quite some time.
The "kids" (the older I get, the older my definition seems to get for this word) were mostly in costumes. Some with funny hats, others in full bear, bunny, or tele tubby costumes. It's like a mobile halloween trick or treat event, but in reverse; this time the people in costmes are giving out the candy. Children on the sidewalks had bags with them to collect their candy, dogs were happy to investigate the food falling from the sky, and proud parents were taking pictures of their children in the trucks as they passed.
I think this is a fabulous traditon. Clearly the people of Finland celebrate their children's graduation with a fun spirit and a lot more tradition than in the USA. Sure, in the US we have individual parties for our graduating seniors, but nothing on this scale, and not with this much organization. Yes, I think this is one more thing the Finns have got right.
In case you wondered, not only did I get pelted with candy, I got pelted with my favorite candy here in Finland...Dumle (a chocolate and caramel treat), and yes, I ate it. I left the rest to the little children. My friend and I then made our way to the champagne bar and had a little bubbly. Now that's what I call a good Valentine's day.
