While everyone in the states is “celebrating” (or at least posting on facebook about) Friday the 13th, the atmosphere here in Sweden is very different. December the 13th (no matter what day it falls on) is St. Lucia – a day of candlelight and song when the winter nights are so dark and long.
Last year was my first St. Lucia and I celebrated by going to the church to see the traditional luciatåg – which was breathtakingly beautiful and magical. If you missed the post about it, see the photos and read all about the history and how it is celebrated here.
This year was a little different, this year it was a kiddie Lucia for me. Instead of going to the church after sunset, we gathered at “folkets hus” (The peoples house) before sunrise.
At 7:30am the kiddies started showing up dressed with their Lucia outfits on, ready to sing – at least most of them, naturally there were some tears and screaming when it was time to go on stage. If the traditional church Lucia I went to last year was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen, this was the cutest. The outfits that kids wear for St.Lucia are adorable! Of course, the girls all dress up as Lucia with a crown of (electronic) candles on their heads and a red belt, while the boys all want to be tomte (santa), leaving my two favorites ignored: stjärngossar (Star boys – which look like little magicians with star wands and pointy wizard hats) and Peperkaksgubbar/pepperkaksgummar (gingerbread boys and girls).
And then of course there are tärnor, Lucia’s “handmaidens,” dressed in long white robes to match Lucia but without the crown of candles, but strings of silver garland around the head and waist. This is the best way to “dress up” for Lucia without really dressing up. All of us teachers sported our garland crowns as we walked with the kids and helped them muster up the courage to sing on stage for so many parents.
The kids did great! They were able to sing all the songs and had a great time. (and now I’ve learned some more Swedish songs myself!) I wasn’t able to get any good photos, but did record a little bit for your listening pleasure (Yes, it was very dark and yes, I cut away any parts where I was singing along.): [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILIKz-eo0F0&w=560&h=315]
After the songs everyone sat down and had fika that all the families brought from home. It was still dark out, so the room was still dim – illuminated with candles on the long tables. At the “teacher table” we enjoyed lussekatter (holiday saffron buns), ginger bread cookies, and clementines. Similar to a “lussefika” we had last Sunday to socialize outside of work and celebrate the holidays with a special secret santa game:
After fika one of the parents made a speech to thank the school and teachers and then, with the help of the kids, handed out beautiful flowers and cookie tins with cards for each of us.
And to think I was hesitant about having to wake up at 6am. So worth it to see this other, adorable, side of Lucia.
Holly says
December 14, 2013 at 3:24 amSo adorable.They did a fabulous job.
dankoon says
December 14, 2013 at 4:25 amThanks, Meg. I went to last year’s “cute fest.” Yeah, you couldn’t get more different from Friday the 13th. We even had snow last year, if you recall. God Jul to you and hub from me and Mariette. Mvh, Dan
loulouloves says
December 14, 2013 at 9:53 amBeautiful! I missed our dagis Lucia due to vinterkraksjuka – a much less positive side of living in Sweden!
Claire Duffy says
December 16, 2013 at 6:23 amIt’s a really lovely tradition I’d never heard of before moving to Sweden. We did a sort of mishmash event at dagis with a luciatåg for the older kids and a visit from Santa and some carol singing for the little ones – nothing like kids’ events to get you into the Christmas spirit!