Santa Lucia’s Day—also known by other names such as the Festival of Santa Lucia or St. Lucy’s Day—is celebrated on December 13 each year. Though Santa Lucia’s Day traditions were originated in Sweden, it is also celebrated in other countries, including Bosnia, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy and Norway.
Santa Lucia’s Day is named for St. Lucia, a young girl who was killed in 304 AD. In the middle of the night, St. Lucia, a Christian herself, secretly brought food to feed the Roman Christians who had been persecuted by their country. In order to carry the food each night, she would wear a crown of candles on her head. Celebrations for Santa Lucia’s Day began in the late 1700s in Sweden.
December 13 was adopted as Santa Lucia’s Day based on the archaic Julian calendar. The day also happens to fall on the winter solstice, which is the shortest day and longest night of the year. Because of this, Sweden and other countries often incorporate a Festival of Lights with their Santa Lucia’s Day celebrations.
In celebrating Santa Lucia’s Day, girls are chosen to represent St. Lucia. They don a white dress and wear a crown of candles, just as St. Lucia used to do. Generally, electric candles are used in these crowns for the general safety of each St. Lucia girl and everyone around her. Each school has their own chosen St. Lucia and often one is also chosen within each household. The oldest girl in the family usually takes on this role during the celebrations and serves breakfast to her family.
A national St. Lucia is also chosen to represent her country. She travels the country lending her service to organization, hospitals and convalescent centers. She brings cookies and other goodies with her to each place she visits.
Santa Lucia traditions vary in each country. For example, children in Italy leave food and a donkey for Santa Lucia before they go to bed on December 12. Just as it is an American tradition for children to leave cookies and milk for Santa Claus, it has become an Italian Santa Lucia Day tradition for children to leave the food for Santa Lucia to carry and the donkey for her to ride as she carries the food. In the morning, children discover presents that Santa Lucia has left them.
