The Saint Lucia Festival is a Scandinavian winter tradition honoring Saint Lucia, a Sicilian saint associated with light and spiritual sight. Celebrated on December 13, it is related to Viking celebrations of the winter solstice. The festival is a national holiday in many Scandinavian countries, with parades, gifts, and traditional foods like gingerbread cookies and saffron buns. It is considered the beginning of Christmas in Scandinavia.
The Saint Lucia Festival is a Scandinavian winter tradition that honors Saint Lucia. This celebration is actually a saint of Sicilian origin. The festival of Saint Lucia, celebrated on December 13, is believed by many to be related to the early Viking celebrations of the winter solstice. Since Saint Lucia is associated with light and spiritual sight, the Feast brings light into the darkness of the winter months.
Saint Lucia, or Santa Lucia, was a young girl who lived around AD 300. At a young age, her Christianity made her a target of anti-Christian sentiments. She was blinded and executed. Lucy is now associated with both light in the dark and sight. The feast of Saint Lucia celebrates the light brought into one of the darkest days of the year, just as Lucia’s faith showed in a dark time for the early Christians.
In many villages in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark, the Saint Lucia Festival is a national holiday. The party begins early in the morning for some families, with the eldest daughter, known as the bride Lucia, who brings the family coffee and focaccia. She is dressed in white to represent purity. Sisters wear tinsel wreaths and belts, and brothers may wear hats with stars.
Most cities have a festival and parade in Santa Lucia. Each town chooses a bride representative of Lucia and all march carrying candles. It is also a tradition to give gifts or donate to charities on this holiday, especially charities that help the blind. This is related to the saint and her mother who distributed all their wealth after Lucia’s mother was cured of an illness by the sepulcher of Sant’Agata.
The parade often includes many Christmas carols to Santa Lucia and Christ. Indeed, in Scandinavian countries, many consider the festival to be the beginning of Christmas. This differs from the observance of Christmas in other countries, where Christmas begins on Christmas and ends on Epiphany, which is January 6th.
When the parade is over, many continue the celebration with traditional foods. Gingerbread cookies and saffron buns are popular. Also, apple cider or spiced wine helps take the chill off. Many have full meals. In Sweden, a buffet of familiar Swedish foods may be served.
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