Dec. 13, one of the shortest days of winter, is a special day for Matilda Forsstrom, marketing junior from Sweden. While other students will be preparing for their holiday festivities, Forsstrom’s thoughts will be of her hometown of Malmo and the goings-on there. In Sweden, Dec. 13 means the arrival of Ste. Lucia Day. In different towns, groups of young people led by a radiant girl wearing a long white dress, a red sash around her waist and a crown of candles, walk the streets. Younger girls, also in white, carrying candles, tail her. Several boys in tall, pointy hats make up the rear.

They bring cakes and coffee to homes, hospitals, factories and offices and sing Christmas songs along the way, similar to caroling in America. Swedish mothers wake their children before sunrise on Ste. Lucia Day to begin preparing the breads, candles and costumes.

The girl with the crown represents Ste. Lucia, a young Italian Christian girl killed by Roman soldiers about 1500 years ago. According to legend, she suffered a martyr’s death on Dec. 13, 304, for refusing to give up her religion. Since Ste. Lucia was born in Italy, it is not known why Sweden is the only other country to celebrate Ste. Lucia Day.

The name Lucia means light. Because she died during the darkest part of the year, Ste. Lucia came to represent light to the cold countries of northern Europe. They portrayed her as a shining figure with a radiant halo. Forsstrom says there are only a few hours of daylight in Sweden during the winter months.

“She is supposed to light up the long nights so we do not have to worry,” Forsstrom says.

Individual families celebrate Ste. Lucia Day within their homes. “We (my sisters and I) put on white dresses and sing for our parents in their bedroom and give them cake,” Forsstrom says. Older members of the family are supposed to remain sleeping during the preparations and then be surprised when the children begin singing the traditional songs. Schoolchildren also perform plays based around Ste. Lucia that are rehearsed weeks before.

“That is mostly for the small children,” Forsstrom says. “I would not participate in that anymore. But then there is one for the city. That is for grown-ups.”

Every year, each town in Sweden elects a different Ste. Lucia. Candidates are often printed in the local newspaper weeks ahead. There is even a national Lucia that is announced on television.

“To be elected, you have to have a very good singing voice and be very pretty,” Forsstrom says. “I was never a Lucia because I was not tall enough. My sister was always Lucia.” Followed by their train, the Lucias march through the streets, stopping in the center of town to sing for the crowd that had gathered. Then they walk out of the city.

Because of safety concerns, few Lucias use real candles anymore. Although she has never seen a fire on Ste. Lucia Day, Frosstrom says it is common for children to faint during festivities.

“Because you have to stand up for a long time, and it is so early in the morning, there is always some kid in the train that just falls down while singing,” Forsstrom says.

Forsstrom says she attended a Norwegian church in New Orleans last Ste. Lucia Day.

“They made a Lucia train there, and I did all of the Swedish things there,” Frosstrom says. “But with New Orleans like it is, I just don’t think I am going to celebrate it this year.