Swedish Lucia Day Celebrations

On the 13th of December, 2011 a celebration of Lucia Day took place in Radisson Blu hotel organized by Embassy of Sweden and Ericsson. It was a traditional Lucia Day celebration with Lucia procession, glogg and saffron buns. It was a traditional Swedish celebration of light driving away the darkness of winter with candles and songs.

The Lucia Day celebration represents one of the most important cultural traditions in Sweden where Lucia has a vital role as bearer of light in the dark Swedish winter. The modern day celebrations origin in pagan traditions, though the name comes from the Christian Saint Lucia.

Even long before the tradition with Lucia processions appeared, December 13th was an important day. The Lucia Night was considered to be the longest and darkest night of the year. According to folklore this night was dangerous – supernatural creatures were out and about and all animals could talk.

St Lucia of Syracuse was a young Italian woman who was martyred in year 304 AD. Her fiancé turned her in for being a Christian when she used her dowry to feed the poor. She was sentenced to death, but neither burning oil nor the cut of a sword cold kill her before she received the last sacrament.

Today Lucia and her accompanying procession bring light, songs and traditional Swedish culinary. The mulled wine “glogg” served with raisins and almonds is essential as well as ginger cookies and the sweet saffron-flavoured buns called lussekatter.  The celebrations and schools where the children have ther own processions. Since 1927 a yearly competition is held electing the Lucia of Sweden.

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