The Advent- and Lucia tradition goes way back in time and there are many different stories. One is about a mother who wanted her kids to have something nice to look forward to every day in December, until Christmas Eve. She created a calendar and the kids got to open a hatch every day. On December 13th, there was always a girl in a white dress with candles in her hair in the calendar. This is LUCIA.
In the northern countries the darkness is so overwhelming, usually it gets dark around 3PM in December. When Lucia is celebrated she is called “the light” and she gives hope and joy to all the people. By singing Christmas carols and offering the audience coffee and gingerbread cookies, she makes everybody feel good and happy.
In our pre-school we celebrate LUCIA every year. The children are Lucia or star boys or elves. Everybody gets to choose a character. You dress up and the Lucia’s have candles in their hair and in their hands. The elves carry lantern lamps. The children sing a lot of traditional Christmas carols and the parents enjoy the performance. After the singing it is time for a snack. Coffee or Glögg (a very spiced warm drink sometimes with alcohol) gingerbread cookies and “Lussekatter” wheat bread with saffron- are available for the parents. Usually we celabrate early in the morning.
There is also a Lucia for every town in Sweden. Sometimes she is riding in a slade, if there is snow on the ground. In the church there are a sermon and many people join. Usually the church is not so well used during the rest of the year.
1927 the newspaper called “ Stockholms Dagblad” started the first Lucia.
In one of the Christmas carols we sing about a Saint called Staffan- Sankt Stefanos” . Who is helper in the stable.
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