PHOTOS: LondonSwedes Lucia 2019 with Special guest Molly Hammar

Oct 12, 2021 by

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LUCIA NIGHT 2019 WAS PRESENTED BY SKISTAR.COM

In December, Lucia is honoured all over Sweden with candlelight processions that brighten up the dark winter days. These spectacular events feature the chosen Lucia wearing a crown of lights, and girls and boys in white gowns take place in schools, at work, in town squares or churches. They sing festive songs and spread warmth in the community. Lucia and her entourage now made their way to London where they shared their magic and Christmas spirit.

Featuring a stunning Lucia choir of 20 singers led by professional Choir Director Carina Einarson, Lucia Nights is one of LondonSwedes’ most enchanting and beautiful events!  This year the choir were also joined by amazing Swedish singer & songwriter Molly Hammar.

The lovely venue Stoke Newington Town Hall makes for the perfect setting for the concert which included English Christmas songs and sing-a-longs and many brought their your non-Swedish friends!  Before, in the break and after the show guests were able to enjoy traditional Swedish Christmas nibbles and beverages, such as saffron buns, gingerbread biscuits and meatball sandwiches, along with drinks and “glögg”. We made sure to keep the bar open until midnight, it was a Friday after all 🙂

 

The Café during the evening was run by Söderberg – Swedish Bakery & Cafés  


There were surprises to all guests from Glubbel, World’s First Sparkling Mulled Wine after the concert.

 

Full photo album on https://bit.ly/Lucia2019London

 

About the tradition

The original name of this special day is Saint Lucy’s Day, however, in Sweden, we simply call it Lucia. Swedes have been celebrating Lucia for 400 years. The Queen of Light herself is an ancient mythical figure with an abiding role as a bearer of light in the dark Swedish winter. Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304. Back then the persecuted Christians in Rome were hiding in the catacombs under the city. She would secretly bring them food but had to wear candles on her head for her hands to be free. The story was told by Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden.

 

The main celebration takes place on December 13th, while there are candlelight processions the week before as well. On Lucia’s day, you will see thousands of young girls and boys emerge from the darkness, gently silencing the crowds with a procession of light and beautiful singing. Today the action usually begins before dawn in schools, churches and offices. The procession is led by the girl picked to be Lucia, dressed in a long white gown with a red sash and a crown of lights.

She is joined by girls wearing similar outfits as her ( tärnor ), and boys wearing tall pointed hats and star wands (stjärngossar). Most Swedes feast on a special version of mulled wine (glögg) and saffron-flavoured buns (lussekatter) during the week of Lucia.