Sweden’s Christmas traditions: St. Lucia’s Day

I have two words to sum up my experience in Sweden during Christmas time: cold and dark. The days felt incredibly short, and I don’t think I saw the sun for the entire month of December while I was there. Yet I found the Swedes remarkably prepared for this long, dismal stretch of winter, and one tradition in particular caught my attention: St. Lucia’s Day.

Even from an outsider’s perspective, it was clear that the procession symbolised light amid the long Swedish winter darkness

St. Lucia’s Day is a festival of lights celebrated every year on 13 December in Sweden, Norway, and the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland. In Scandinavia, each town elects its own St. Lucia to lead the festival. The celebration begins with a procession led by the chosen St. Lucia, followed by young girls dressed in white, wearing wreaths on their heads, and boys in white pyjama-like outfits. This festival marks the beginning of the Christmas season and is meant to bring light during the darkest time of the year. Families can also celebrate this tradition at home, often having one of their daughters, usually the eldest, dress in white and serve coffee and baked goods to family and friends.

While studying abroad in Gothenburg, Sweden, I stumbled across this tradition by chance. My accommodation was located near the city’s main square, Götaplatsen, where the celebration was taking place. Children carried candles and lights, which, to my surprise, managed to stay lit during a brief downpour. Even from an outsider’s perspective, it was clear that the procession symbolised light amid the long Swedish winter darkness.

With that in mind, many of the traditional songs sung during St. Lucia celebrations incorporate the theme of light over darkness into their lyrics. One song in particular, known by nearly every Swede, framed the entire symbol of the procession:

“The night treads heavily
around yards and dwellings.
In places unreached by the sun,
the shadows brood.
Into our dark houses she comes,
bearing lighted candles –
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.”

I would highly recommend listening to the fully translated song whenever you can. Even here in the UK during those long periods of winter darkness, it serves as a reminder that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

It really is the people and customs that bring joy to the season, not just the weather

While not exclusive to Christmas, Swedish fika was also a delight amongst the cold and darkness of winter. For those unfamiliar, fika is simply just a social coffee and cake break. As someone who can’t resist a good sweet treat, this tradition was one of my favourites. The district of Haga is known for its small shops, boutiques, and cafes and is a prime spot for enjoying fika, even during wintertime. I admire the Swedes’ resilience in the cold, with many still choosing to sit outside wrapped in blankets or huddled around heaters.

Surviving Sweden’s darkest month of the year really taught me a lot about how different countries cope during Christmas. As someone who is quick to complain about a slight temperature drop, I really admired how the Swedes always find a way to embrace the season rather than hide from it. It really is the people and customs that bring joy to the season, not just the weather. Us Brits do like complaining about it though, don’t we?