Happy Holidays HC readers! With all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, I had almost forgotten about Sweden’s December 13th holiday of Saint Lucia’s Day. It is observed each year in Scandinavian countries and was definitely an experience I will never forget.
Each year, on the evening of Saint Lucia’s Day, a ceremony is held where one girl is selected to portray “Lucia.” Wearing a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles on her head, she walks at the head of a procession of women, each holding a candle.
Boys also participate in the Swedish procession. Instead of wearing a red sash and wreaths in their hair, the boys wear plain white robes and sometimes white cone-shaped hats adorned with golden stars.
Because I was student in the music school, participating in Saint Lucia’s day was an extra rewarding experience. Our music class put on a concert in a beautiful church in downtown Stockholm. Even though learning all of Sweden’s traditional Christmas carols, with multiple versus each, was definitely a challenge, it was so special to get to share in this important Swedish tradition.
Upon entering the church, our class sang the traditional song, “Sankta Lucia.” Because Swedish winter days are so short and have very little light, the song describes Lucia overcoming the darkness. To make the beautiful lyrics come to life, our class walked down the isles of the grand cathedral, carrying candles into the dark room.
After finishing the “Sankta Lucia” entrance song, our class stood at the front of the room and sang more Christmas carols and songs about Saint Lucia. Once the concert was complete, everyone left together with warm hearts and in the Christmas spirit.
Following the service, it is common for families and friends to gather in their homes for the Swedish tradition of “fika,” (a Swedish tradition where friends and family come together and socialize over hot beverages and desserts).
To prepare for “kvällen’s fika” or the evening’s fika, Swedes often spend the days leading up to Saint Lucia’s Day baking “lussebullar,” or lucia buns. These are sweet buns twisted into a figure-eight form. These tasty treats are yellow in color because they are made with an extremely expensive spice called “saffron,” which gives them their golden hue.
Gingerbread is another common treat for the Swedish holiday season and go very well with tea and coffee during the many holiday “fikas.”