Christmas in Sweden + Saint Lucy

We already did an overview of Christmas in Scandinavian countries but today, we looked more closely at Sweden and their Christmas culture/traditions.

Christmas Eve is when the Swedes enjoy a huge feast – a smorgasbord of food including cold fish and meats, cheeses, breads and butters, pig’s feet, meatballs, potatoes, and cabbage.

They typically celebrate the Christmas season all the way until January 13th – their St. Knut’s Day – where the tree comes down and kids can eat the edible decorations from the tree.

But the reason I have a separate post just on Sweden is because of their tradition of celebrating Santa Lucia.

SANTA LUCIA AND BEING A LIGHT

Lucia Day is a day that honors the Christian martyr it is named for. Like Saint Nicholas, there are different legends – both pagan and Christian – about how the saint became so widely treasured, especially by the Swedes.

The bottom line is that she represents light and hope for this time of year; fitting for a country that sees very little sunlight during the winter season. What a great way to remind our children of Jesus’ light in this often dark world!

I actually wrote a separate blog just for this holiday (which happens on December 13); head here to read about the books, food, and activities we enjoyed!