St. Lucia Day 2024 in Norway

Children parade dressed in white, carrying candles, singing songs, and handing out festive buns

Dates: December 13

Saint Lucy's Day, or "Luciadagen," is celebrated on December 13 and marks a cherished tradition with children dressed in white, candles illuminating the festivities, and the scent of freshly baked saffron buns. The centerpiece of the celebration is the Lucia figure, often adorned with a crown of candles, symbolizing light and hope during the dark winter season.

Origins of Celebration

St. Lucia Day combines elements from both Christian and pagan traditions. The pagan aspect centers on the legend of a menacing figure named Lussy believed to have wandered Norway with trolls on December 13, prompting people to stay indoors to avoid these dark spirits. The Christian tradition, however, commemorates St. Lucia, a young martyr who brought food to Christians hiding in Roman catacombs. To keep her hands free, she wore a candle-lit wreath, guiding her path as she offered help in secret, embodying a symbol of light and hope.

Event Highlights

Today, on St. Lucia Day in Norway, the celebration emphasizes light over winter's darkness, with school children dressed in white, holding candles, and singing traditional songs to honor Santa Lucia. The most famous song is "Sankta Lucia" (the same song popular in Italy but with Norwegian lyrics). During these festive processions, children distribute lussekatt buns—bright yellow S-shaped treats infused with saffron. Each procession is led by a young girl chosen to represent St. Lucia, adorned with a candle-lit wreath to symbolize the saint's courage and dedication. She visits hospitals and senior homes, sharing lussekatt buns to bring warmth and joy, embodying Lucia's spirit of kindness and light.

Celebrations Across Norway

While St.Lucia processions and parades are held in the mornings, churches and universities across Norway offer St.Lucia concerts in the evening. Visitors can attend the Lucia concert at the University of Oslo or head to a small town for a more authentic celebration. The town of Drobak near Oslo has atmospheric annual St.Lucia parades.

Even though today, Christian tradition prevails, many people still regard the night between the 12th and 13th of December as an ominous one and do not let their children out.