Each year on Dec. 13, candlelight from Santa Lucia celebrations brings hope and light to the dark Swedish and Norwegian winters.
That evening, angelic voices carry through Swedish cathedrals singing Christmas hymns to honor the patron St. Lucy (Santa Lucia).
What do we know about her?
Who was Santa Lucia and why is she celebrated?
The holiday’s history goes back to the 4th century. The legend says that Italian martyr Lucia carried food and goods to the Christians who were hiding out in the catacombs under Rome, using a wreath dotted with candles to light her way and keep her hands free, according to Visit Sweden.
In the old Almanac, the sun set the earliest that time of the year, so in the northern reaches of Sweden, it made for a very long night. Legend has it that mystical occurrences and encounters would happen that night, so the Swedish people needed nourishment and light.
In 1764, the first recorded appearance of someone impersonating Lucia in a white dress was recorded, per the Swedish Institute.
How do people celebrate Santa Lucia?
- First off and most importantly, the holiday is celebrated with food.
- Santa Lucia performances in churches, town halls, schools and restaurants are a must if you ever find yourself in Sweden on Dec. 13.
School children will dress up for the performance, with one chosen and special girl who gets to be Lucia, wreath of candles and all. It also includes handmaidens clad in white dresses and plain wreathes, star boys who wear pointed star hats reminiscent of Mickey Mouse’s hat in “Fantasia” and lastly, pepperkaksgubbar — gingerbread boys and girls, per Visit Sweden.
Santa Lucia performances include melodic Christmas songs. Hearing the songs in a Swedish cathedral, with the beautiful acoustics is an iconic experience in Swedish culture.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson reminisced about the feast for the holiday in The New York Times, praising the smorgasbord that included herring, potatoes and of course, Swedish meatballs.
Many Swedes also bake Lussekatter, which are saffron buns filled with spices, raisins and almonds. Saffron is extremely expensive, so the flavor is a prize for special occasions like Santa Lucia Day and Christmas Day.
The other treat that Swedes love to eat for the holiday is pepperkakor (or gingersnaps).
“The one thing we could all agree on — kids and adults alike — were the gingersnaps,” Samuelsson wrote. “There had to be gingersnaps at our St. Lucia Day feast.”
Who typically celebrates Santa Lucia Day?
The countries that typically celebrate the holiday include Sweden, Norway and the Swedish speaking regions of Finland.