Lucia Day at Gammelgarden

The celebration of Lucia in Sweden brings light to the very dark days of December. It marks the beginning of the Swedish Christmas season. Lucia, a 3rd century Christian living in Italy, was grateful that her mother's health was restored and in thankfulness Lucia spent her dowry money to feed the poor. Her fiancé' denounced her to the authorities and she was burned at the stake on December 13. Her story traveled to Sweden with Christian missionaries. Her example is celebrated in household and community settings with a young girl in white (purity) with a red sash (martyrdom) and a crown of candles (light) on her head bringing coffee and saffron buns to family members in the pre-dawn hours. Since 1927, the Stockholm Lucia is crowned at the palace and serves coffee to the Nobel prize winners, who are also bringing light to the world in the way of knowledge.

Gammelgården Museum's Lucia Celebration:

GammelKyrkan in the summer

Here in Minnesota, we began our Jul season with the celebration of Lucia as we followed the candles in the snow lighting the way to the GammelKyrkan (old church) for an early morning prayer service, all in Swedish. 

This morning, we were in the middle of a snowstorm, with perhaps 6" of snow already on the ground and lots more to come through the day.

We dressed warmly as the church is the oldest Lutheran Church in Minnesota, built in 1856, with no heat or electricity. and candle-lit, with candles at the front of the church, on wreaths hanging from the ceiling, candles in each window, and each person holding their own candle in a hand-held holder.

As each person entered this morning, a burst of cold air with snow also entered the church. Looking out the windows, snow was gently falling and blowing, a beautiful sight in this quiet rural setting.

This church service was followed by a Lucia Fest Breakfast smörgåsbord at the Scandia Community Center. The Minneapolis Svensgarnas Dag Girls Choir sang honoring Lucia and her ministry of bringing light into darkness. Gammelgården's large exhibit of Lucia artifacts was also on display at the Välkommen Hus (the Gammelgården Welcome House). Lucia Dagen is both a family and community tradition in Sweden, and celebrated each year in homes and in the schools each December 13th.

This year Riana was Lucia.

Although we didn't get good photos this morning, following are photos of Riana several years ago at one of our family Lucia celebrations.

Norene bakes the wonderful saffron rolls for our family celebrations (which were missing at the Gammelgarden breakfast -- the rolls at Gammelgården were in the shape of traditional saffron rolls, but plain sweet rolls with craisins instead of raisins. 

And on Thursday, December 13th, the official Swedish Jul (Christmas) begins! 

Here's wishing all of you a Joyous Christmas Season!