The Lucia Pageant is one of the most popular and unique Christmas season celebrations in the Swedish culture. The pageant is about Saint Lucia who the Swedes “adopted” from the Italians. It is said that Saint Lucia appeared during a famine in Sweden during the Middle Ages carrying food to the farmers across Lake Vännern.

The pageant occurs during the darkest time of the year so it is also a celebration of the light glowing from Lucia’s candles.

The Lucia celebration, sponsored by the American Scandinavian Heritage Foundation and the Scandinavian Studies, is followed by coffee and juice, lussekatter (sweet, saffron flavored buns). These buns are shaped like curled up cats with raisin eyes. Traditional folk dances will be performed by the Thule Lodge Children’s Swedish Folk Dance Team.