St Lucia

Today, December 13th, we celebrate St. Lucia here in Sweden.

 

Schools, kindergartens and a lot of workplaces celebrated  yesterday as St Lucia is on a Saturday this year. 

    

In the office building where I work they invite the Rome & Juliet choir from The Royal Dramatic Theater every year.

   

If you like you can read more about our St Lucia tradition here. Have a lovely weekend!

Comments

[Petra from the Netherlands]

Thanks for the pictures! I love reading about traditions based on natural events.

For us the shortest day of the year is December 21st. My mother always puts a big bunch of yellow flowers in the livingroom on the 22nd, to celebrate that the darkest part is over...

[Jean]

Were the candles in this case electric or real? If real, this Lucia has terrific posture!
Good info about the day on Wiki, too
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy%27s_Day
Did you make saffron buns?

[Neda]

It was one of the things I like the most when I was in Norway. In my High School we had a procession and Lucia was actually a boy that year (Don´t remember why) and he wear real candles. The ones in the photos lokk real to me, are they?

[Bridget]

My father is from Gotland, and I always wished I could have visited Sweden during Christmas and been a Lucia. Alas - at 23 I am now far too old. Maybe my daughter will be able to someday...

[Cecilia]

This evening I came across your blog for the first time, and spent over an hour looking through it from Z to A! Thanks for the inspiring tips on decorating and organizing - I will be a regular visitor from now on!!!

Tack!

[Ellmania]

Hej Benita. Du har fått en I Love Your Blog-utmärkelse av mig! Se mer här:

http://ellmania.blogspot.com/2008/12/bloggkrlek.html

Ha en skön helg! Hälsningar Emmie

[joanna goddard]

so awesome. also, we got your absolutely lovely holiday card in the mail. thank you so much for thinking of us! it was such a nice little treat. :) merry christmas to you, your family and your cats!

[Barb F (Australia)]

Oooh geez, I am very glad I am not the chick with the candles on her head!

[nicoletter]

I love the St Lucia Tradition. As I was a little child, one of my friends - a sweden girl - visited us every St Lucia Morning in the darkness in her beautiful white dress, candle wreath on her head and swedish cookies. It was so romantic!

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

Jean and Neda,those are real candles! In school and kindergarten they use battery operated ones though!

Barb, most girls would die to have them :)

[Pearl]

Benita: I haven't had time to comment lately, but I love the posts on your holiday traditions. The pictures from around your house are great, too--I especially loved the gingerbread house. Glad you clarified: I thought for a minute that you had somehow preserved and kept it all this time! Hmm.

[Michelle of Montreal]

I just heard a piece on Radio Sweden about St. Lucia on the weekend. Is it true that girls are very competitive about who gets chosen to wear the candles?

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

Michele, true! A lot of schools vote for who gets to be Lucia and there's usually a bit of drama involved. Some schools have recently gone for a draw between the girls who want to be Lucia instead so it won't be a popularity contest anymore.

[Barb]

So I wonder if the mom of the girl with the candles burning on her head freaks out just a little when she sees her daughter up on stage?!

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

Probably Barb, probably :)

Jean, I didnt get a chance to make the Lussebullar yet. I hope to this weekend. It is ok to eat them after Lucia too luckily :)