Scandinavian December Traditions
Andre Holmqvist
You think December in St Andrews is dark? Our little town is as far north as the southernmost part of Scandinavia, where the sun rises at about eight in the morning and sets before four o’clock even. Depressing as it is here, in the northernmost parts of Sweden and Norway there are around five weeks in winter where the sun does not even rise! As compensation however, there are also five nightless weeks during the summer. To make it through the long dark winter, Scandinavians have a widespread tradition of placing burning candles all around their house during the Christmas season. Understandably, December is by far the busiest time for the fire brigades in Scandinavia.
A Swedish friend of mine living in London recently recounted an incident when the local Scandinavian club was raided by the police while celebrating Sankta Lucia (Saint Lucia). Apparently an alarmed lady across the street had mistaken them for the Klu Klux Klan. Traditionally everyone in the Lucia procession dresses in long white robes and boys wear cone-shaped hats. Every December 13th Scandinavians celebrate Santa Lucia, a Sicilian saint who suffered martyrdom in the third century. Suffering a horrid death, by means of the gauging out of her eyes, she is considered the patron saint of the blind.
In the old Julian calendar, the 13th December was the longest night of the year, so in effect it became a celebration of the returning of light. Girls carry burning candles and one is dressed up as Sankta Lucia with a crown of burning candles, and a red ribbon around her waist symbolising the blood from Lucias wounds. There are in fact beauty pageants around Sweden in December where every town elect their Lucia, and true to the Scandinavian stereotype Lucia is almost always tall and blond. Never mind that the original was a Sicilian and most probably dark-haired. Since this used to be the darkest night of the year people were afraid of being taken by Lucifer, the Devil, which inspired the custom of Lucevaka. This all-night party on the night between 12th and the 13th is still highly popular among young people. When the morning light arrives you are considered safe from the Devil and can celebrate Lucia with songs and saffron bread in different shapes inspired by the sun and stars.
Another Scandinavian tradition in December is the Nobel Ball on the 10th December - the annual highlight of the Swedish social calendar. The banquet is held every year in celebration of the Nobel Prize Laureates in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Peace. This is arguably the most prestigious award in science and the prize money comes from a foundation started by Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite.
If you want to get a taste of Scandinavian winter-traditions in St Andrews, do not miss the Sankta Lucia celebrations on Saturday 12th December 4.30 pm in St Leonards Chapel on South Street. The Scandinavian Society Nobel Ball is in on Wednesday 9 December at 6.30 pm and although tickets are now sold out it may be worth asking around to see if any are being re-sold.
Andre Holmqvist
You think December in St Andrews is dark? Our little town is as far north as the southernmost part of Scandinavia, where the sun rises at about eight in the morning and sets before four o’clock even. Depressing as it is here, in the northernmost parts of Sweden and Norway there are around five weeks in winter where the sun does not even rise! As compensation however, there are also five nightless weeks during the summer. To make it through the long dark winter, Scandinavians have a widespread tradition of placing burning candles all around their house during the Christmas season. Understandably, December is by far the busiest time for the fire brigades in Scandinavia.
A Swedish friend of mine living in London recently recounted an incident when the local Scandinavian club was raided by the police while celebrating Sankta Lucia (Saint Lucia). Apparently an alarmed lady across the street had mistaken them for the Klu Klux Klan. Traditionally everyone in the Lucia procession dresses in long white robes and boys wear cone-shaped hats. Every December 13th Scandinavians celebrate Santa Lucia, a Sicilian saint who suffered martyrdom in the third century. Suffering a horrid death, by means of the gauging out of her eyes, she is considered the patron saint of the blind.
In the old Julian calendar, the 13th December was the longest night of the year, so in effect it became a celebration of the returning of light. Girls carry burning candles and one is dressed up as Sankta Lucia with a crown of burning candles, and a red ribbon around her waist symbolising the blood from Lucias wounds. There are in fact beauty pageants around Sweden in December where every town elect their Lucia, and true to the Scandinavian stereotype Lucia is almost always tall and blond. Never mind that the original was a Sicilian and most probably dark-haired. Since this used to be the darkest night of the year people were afraid of being taken by Lucifer, the Devil, which inspired the custom of Lucevaka. This all-night party on the night between 12th and the 13th is still highly popular among young people. When the morning light arrives you are considered safe from the Devil and can celebrate Lucia with songs and saffron bread in different shapes inspired by the sun and stars.
Another Scandinavian tradition in December is the Nobel Ball on the 10th December - the annual highlight of the Swedish social calendar. The banquet is held every year in celebration of the Nobel Prize Laureates in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Peace. This is arguably the most prestigious award in science and the prize money comes from a foundation started by Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite.
If you want to get a taste of Scandinavian winter-traditions in St Andrews, do not miss the Sankta Lucia celebrations on Saturday 12th December 4.30 pm in St Leonards Chapel on South Street. The Scandinavian Society Nobel Ball is in on Wednesday 9 December at 6.30 pm and although tickets are now sold out it may be worth asking around to see if any are being re-sold.