I love watching the pagan/christian celebration of Lucia on national TV, I think most Swedish people do. It’s romantic and very emotional: on an early, dark, cold morning in the midst of December, the 13th, the young members of society come with light, music and beauty to the older members of society, as well as to the newly born. It is an ancient ceremony of rebirth and renewal, and about the existence of magic and blessings in life, even in what seems to be the darkest of times. It is also a celebration of the sun, and the human capacity of handling fire – of bending the elements after our own will, like making light in abundance in the middle of Winter. The ceremony is full of ancient symbols, like the stars (pentacles) on the pointy hats of the so called “stjärngossarna” = the star boys.

Lucia, the saint who is saint celebrated, is a Sicilian martyr who sacrificed her life for her beliefs, and for not having to marry a man she did not love. Traditionally, she is a fairy or a Goddess of light, coming with light and protection for the people after the night between the 12th and the 13th of December, when the dark forces were said to be specially strong.

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