Santa Lucia: be inspired by the magic of the Scandinavian Festival of Lights!

December 13th is Saint Lucia! In addition to the tradition of the saints, Saint Lucia has a special importance among our Scandinavian neighbors. Also known as the “Festival of Lights“, Swedes, Norwegians and Finns celebrate December 13, the longest night of winter.

During the festival of Santa Lucia, the inhabitants of Nordic countries light their houses, towns and squares with a multitude of lights and candles to illuminate this dark night. Let’s discover together this beautiful winter custom that will re-enchant our December.

A bit of history…

Do you know the symbolism hidden behind the popular first name: Lucie? Lucie comes from Lux in Latin which means light. It is therefore not by chance that the day of Saint Lucia is also the shortest day of winter. In the heart of the dark cold season, Scandinavian countries experience long hours of night while the day lasts only a few hours.

Every year, the feast of Santa Lucia announces the lengthening of the days and the shortening of the darkness. This is why the Scandinavian countries celebrate Saint Lucia who comes to chase away the darkness and bring warmth and light.

The celebration of Santa Lucia

In Denmark, Norway or Sweden, Saint Lucia Day is an opportunity to adorn the streets, shops and even young girls with lights and garlands of light. In some Nordic cities you can even see a joyful procession of young girls carrying candles and illuminated wreaths on their heads.

In the houses, every window is adorned with candles, lamps and other light sources to illuminate the night darkness. It is also the occasion to meet with the family for a “Fika” or to devour a good saffron brioche called Lussekatt. It makes you want to copy this nice tradition, doesn’t it?

Scandinavian inspirations to prepare Christmas

What if we launched the festivities early by celebrating Christmas the Swedish way? After a year darkened by a few disappointments, let’s get back to the magic of the festive season. Take the opportunity to light candles in every room and install garlands in the windows.

For the pleasure of being together, you can take the opportunity to cook a Scandinavian brioche recipe or even make your own candle jars.

And to top it all off, light your favorite Auget candle and let yourself be carried away by the scent of fragrances rising from it. Celebrating St. Lucia is a beautiful way to celebrate the arrival of days of celebration and a burst of joy to come. Take the opportunity to make your home shine with a thousand lights!