The Estonians gave us the Christmas tree; the Dutch gave us Santa, and Coca-Cola made him red. But what of Swedish Christmas traditions? Check out Lucia for example tomorrow.
– The other day I went to a party with those twisty cakes, the yellow ones, so good. I want one now, says Luis Garcia from Mexico.
This eloquently described baked good is known as lussekatt. A yellow bun infused with raisons and the aroma of saffron and bent into an “S” shape. All the supermarkets are selling them, but home baked is the Swedish way to go.
– Don’t forget to wash it down with Julmust or Glögg! Reminds Swede Sigrid Premberg who also hosted the Julfika attended by Luis.
The former is Sweden’s root-beer-esque Christmas soft-drink while the latter is its alcoholic, mulled wine uncle.
Lussekatter also find their way into the celebrations of what is possibly Sweden’s best known Christmas tradition: St Lucia Day.
The story goes, that Lucia helped persecuted Christians, giving them her entire dowry. Her future in-laws – unhappy with this and in a move that makes Ebinezer Scrooge look like Santa’s little helper – reported her as a Christian and she was killed.
Throughout Sweden, communities commemorate her by electing their own Lucia. Dressed in a white robe, red belt and (flaunting all health and safety rules) a crown of candles.
On the 13th December Lucia is accompanied by a procession dressed in white with the girls holding candles while the boys wear hats in the shape of cones, a look that doesn’t always prove popular with the Swedish teens:
– This year there was a school choir who hated the look so much that they refused to wear the hats, mentioned Swedish choir singer Sofia Casselbrant.
– So they are replacing the cones with bandanas.
Progress in the name of fashion.
– But for me, continued Sofia, the best bit of Christmas is watching the cartoon Kalle Anka (Donald Duck & Co.), it still gives me goose-bumps. And then after it’s times for presents!
Indeed, Christmas Day – the 24th here, don’t turn up on the 25th – is still very much a family centred affair:
– It is supposed to be a really calm day, remarks Sigrid. I like that we can relax with the family.
This family centred approach has had an endearing effect on American Karen Paulsen:
– It’s totally different to the bright lights and big noise of Christmas in the U.S., much more warm and homely here, that’s why I like it.
So while it might not offer the glitz and glam of Christmas in other places, Sweden offers a
much homelier approach, one easily enjoyed around Lund over the coming weeks.
For anyone interested in attending a Saint Lucia celebration, these events will be held today at Kulturen and during the 13th:
18:00/19:30/21:00 with the Studentchoir “Bella Voce”
08:00: Café Athen, AF – borgen
16:00: Gallery, 4th Floor Juridikum (Law School)
19:00: In front of City Hall, Stortorget
1 Comment
Anonymous
I remember going, as a child, to Sicily with my family. While in Syracuse, my parents tell me: “This is where Sankta Lucia lived and died.”
Talk about making a kid confused. What did our winter celebration with candles in the dark have to do with some lady who died during the 4th century in warm Italy? Still sort of bothers me. 😉