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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.

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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.

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Along with Midsommer, the Lucia celebrations represent one of the foremost cultural traditions in the Swedish culture.

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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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