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Scandinavian Community of Seattle Celebrates Santa Lucia Festival
Seattle’s Swedish community takes on the holiday season
Celebrated on December 13, the darkest time of the year, Santa Lucia’s Day originated in Scandinavian countries, and commemorates the charitable work of St. Lucy (or Santa Lucia), an Italian martyr known for her compassion and generous nature. Like many winter holiday traditions, Santa Lucia’s Day embodies a spirit of giving as well as a feeling of community.
Not familiar with the festive occasion? In Sweden and other Scandinavian countries the holiday starts when the eldest daughter of the household carries a tray of warm saffron buns and hot coffee to the members of her family. A wreath of glowing candles adorns her head, and she wears a white gown tied with a crimson sash. Later in the day, all the girls and boys of the town put on similar white robes or pajama-like garments to march in a procession through the town. They wear the lighted wreaths on their heads and sing festive songs to welcome the light back to the Earth and bring comfort and joy in the midst of the darkness.
The Scandinavian communities of Seattle, such as the Swedish Cultural Club (swedishclubnw.org), revel in this beautiful tradition each year, and there are several celebrations around town where you can get in the Santa Lucia spirit: Seattle Children’s Museum (thechildrensmuseum.org) as part of its multi-national Festivals of Light season; the Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard (nordicmuseum.org); and multiple churches in the Seattle area, such as Our Redeemer’s Lutheran in Ballard (ourredeemers.net) and the First Covenant Church on Capitol Hill (firstcovenantseattle.org).
Capitol Hill’s First Covenant Church (400 E. Pike St.) celebrates with its annual Julfest, a Scandinavian-style Advent service, featuring a full evening of Christmas music, including lessons and carols in both Swedish and English, and a traditional St. Lucia procession. This year’s program will be held on December 7 at 4pm, followed by a candlelight reception where guests can sample traditional Swedish pastries, such as saffron buns and ginger cookies. And we all know there’s nothing like a good cookie to make this time of year a little brighter.
Traditional Swedish Christmas pastry; photo by Matmamman
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