Celebrating the winter solstice, the first recorded appearance of a white-clad Lucia in Sweden was in 1764. The Lucia tradition can be traced back to St Lucia of Syracuse, a martyr who died in 304AD. Tradition has it that Lucia is to wear 'light in her hair', which in practice means a crown of electric candles in a wreath on her head. Each of her handmaidens carries a candle, as well. While the star boys, who like the handmaidens are dressed in white gowns, carry stars on sticks and have tall paper cones on their heads.
Although the candles are now electric they still create a special atmosphere when the lights are dimmed and the sound of the children singing grows as they enter from an adjacent room handing out pepparkakor or homemade ginger snaps.
Along with Midsommer, the Lucia celebrations represent one of the foremost cultural traditions in the Swedish culture.
The many Lucia songs all have the same theme:
The night treads heavily
around yards and dwellings
In places unreached by sun,
the shadows brood
Into our dark house she comes,
bearing lighted candles,
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.
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