Writer: Helena Bergström
Every year on December 13, Sweden is filled with candles, white light and familiar tones. For many, Lucia is associated with childhood memories, school performances and early mornings in front of the television. But how old is the tradition – and how much has it changed? And above all… what will the Lucia celebration look like in the future?
Traditions – and their change
We humans like to think, “This is how it has always been and this is how it always will be,” but this is rarely the case. On the contrary, you might say. Change is the only constant. But in the midst of this constant movement forward, we’re pretty good at holding on to our traditions, in whatever form they take… and that’s okay!
Lucia in the past – myths, darkness and light
Long before Lucia’s workouts and saffron-scented buns, Lucia was a night people dreaded. In the farmlands of Sweden, Loop Night marked the longest night of the year – a time when supernatural beings were said to be on the move.
It was only in the 19th century that the Lucia festival that we know today began to take shape – initially in high-status families, where a woman or girl had to dress in white and carry a wreath of candles. Skansen ultimately helped continue the tradition and make it known to the public.
Lucia now – tradition in change
Today, Lucia is both a tradition and a mirror of our times. The celebration has moved from churches to schools, TV banks and social media. Certain phenomena that were perceived as completely normal a few decades ago – such as choosing Lucia through beauty contests in the daily press – feel rather strange today. Battery-powered lighting, instead of candles, can also be considered a slightly later invention. Change doesn’t have to be a bad thing, but it can be necessary to keep a tradition alive in a new context.
The fact that the Lucia celebration is important to us is evident from the heated debates that take place every year in early December. Can boys be Lucia? Are gingerbread men allowed on the Lucia train? Should parents be invited to the Lucia celebration in kindergarten or not?
There are many issues on which to disagree, but most seem to agree that we want to protect tradition in some way. It’s just fun with light, community and a break from the winter darkness. And who doesn’t love saffron and fluffy cats?
Lucia in the future – what happens next?
What will Lucia look like in twenty, fifty or a hundred years? Perhaps the holiday is celebrated more locally and personally, with everyone wanting to wear a crown – regardless of gender or age? Perhaps Lucia will become less of a performance and more of a symbol: for care, tranquility and light in a dark or turbulent time?
It is difficult to know how the future will develop, but traditions that survive are often the ones allowed to change. Lucia is a festival that has been constantly changing, since the first myths surrounding the long, dark night of Lucia. Because the tradition is so loved, because the debates are so heated every year and because the celebration is constantly adapted to new circumstances, we are confident that the tradition will live on.
Lucia has always reflected the times, and as long as we long for light in the darkness, the holiday will likely continue in some form.
What does Lucia mean to you?
How do you celebrate Lucia? What does the holiday mean to you? How do you think Lucia will develop in the future?
Advertisement
#Lucia #future #tradition #constantly #changing