Advent Calendar December 13

The Scandinavian Festival of Light

Today is St. Lucia’s Day (St Lucy) and it marks the start of of the Christmas season in many parts of Scandinavia. One of the earliest Christian martyrs, St. Lucia has come to symbolise the victory of light over darkness

Some towns elect their own St. Lucia to lead a festive procession of girls dressed in white holding candles. The festival also has pre-Christian Winter Solstice roots. Apparently, December 13th was the longest night of the year until the mid-18^th century which gives even greater meaning to the battle of light over dark. (I presume this was when they used the old Julian calendar before switching to the Gregorian.)