St Lucia Day in Sweden: How to Celebrate the Festival of Light
St Lucia Day, also known as the Santa Lucia festival, is Sweden’s festival of light on 13 December. In the early morning a procession dressed in white walks singing through the dark, led by Lucia with a crown of candles on her head. There are lussekatter (saffron buns), coffee and glögg, and above all light, right in the darkest weeks of the year. Below you’ll find what Lucia in Sweden is all about, how to turn it into a warm evening at home and which jewelry beautifully catches that candlelight.
The short answer
Lucia (Sankta Lucia) is Sweden’s festival of light. Here’s what you need to know:
- When: every year on 13 December; in 2026 St Lucia Day falls on a Sunday.
- The procession: a candlelit procession in white, led by Lucia with a crown of light, while everyone sings “Sankta Lucia”.
- Lussekatter: S-shaped saffron buns with raisins, served with coffee or glögg.
- Why: light in the darkest time of the year: around Lucia, Stockholm gets only about six hours of daylight.
- At home: candles on, a fika with lussekatter and a small glimmer of light as a gift.
What is St Lucia Day? Lucia in Sweden explained
The festival is named after Saint Lucia, a saint from Syracuse in Sicily. Her name comes from the Latin lux, light, and according to legend she brought food to people hiding in the catacombs, wearing a wreath of candles on her head to light the way. In Sweden, Lucia has become a celebration for everyone: at schools, in churches, at work and at home, and on 13 December the Lucia procession is even on TV.
The heart of the festival is the luciatåg, the Lucia procession. It’s still dark when you hear singing in the distance, and then they come in: Lucia with her crown of light and a red sash around her waist, the rest of the procession behind her, dressed in white with a candle in their hands. They sing the well-known “Sankta Lucia” and other songs, and afterwards there’s coffee with lussekatter and pepparkakor, thin spiced biscuits. This is who you’ll see:
| Who | How to recognize them |
|---|---|
| Lucia | White gown, a red sash around the waist and a crown of candles on her head. |
| Tärnor (Lucia’s attendants) | White gown, a candle in hand, glitter or a small wreath in their hair. |
| Stjärngossar (star boys) | White gown, a cone-shaped hat with stars and a staff with a star on top. |
| Pepparkaksgubbar and tomtenissar | Mostly children: dressed as gingerbread men or little elves. |
Why light matters so much in a Scandinavian winter
Spend December in Sweden and you’ll understand Lucia straight away. Around 13 December, Stockholm gets only about six hours of daylight, and far up north, around Kiruna, the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon at all for a few weeks. In the old Julian calendar, the night of 13 December was also the longest night of the year. In old folklore it was an eerie night, when it was better to stay awake and eat well.
That’s why a Scandinavian winter revolves around light: candles on the table, an electric candle bridge or a paper star in so many windows and little lights along the street. Lucia is the moment when that light, in the middle of the darkest weeks, takes center stage. It isn’t an exuberant party but a warm, quiet moment, and that’s exactly what makes it so lovely to borrow.
Celebrating Lucia at home: a candlelit fika
You don’t need to live in Sweden to make it a lovely morning or evening. In 2026, Lucia falls on Sunday 13 December: perfect for a long candlelit breakfast fika, or a cozy evening on Saturday the 12th. Here’s how:
| Step | How to do it |
|---|---|
| 1. Light | Put candles on the windowsill and the table and switch off the big lights. Lucia is at its most beautiful in the half-dark. |
| 2. Lussekatter | Bake them yourself (see below) or find a Scandinavian bakery or shop nearby. Add a few pepparkakor. |
| 3. Something warm | Coffee, tea or glögg, the Swedish mulled wine with raisins and almonds. For children: hot chocolate or alcohol-free glögg. |
| 4. Music | Play “Sankta Lucia” or look up a recording of a Swedish Lucia concert. With children, walk a mini Lucia procession down the hallway. |
| 5. White and a little sparkle | Wear something white with a red scarf or bow, if you like. A small gift that sparkles makes it complete. |
Pictured
Lagom with your fika
Fika is the Swedish coffee break: something sweet, nothing to do for a while. All year round it’s a kanelbulle; in December it becomes a lussekatt. Here you see the Lagom look, Swedish for just enough: Mette necklace, Mirthe earrings, Ellen bracelet and Elia ring in silver tone.
Shop the Lagom look →Baking lussekatter in a nutshell
Lussekatter are soft yeast buns with saffron, which gives them their golden color and gentle scent. Let the saffron steep in warm milk with butter first, roll the dough into strands and twist each one into an S with two curls. Press a raisin into each curl, brush with egg and bake until golden. Lussekatt literally means “Lucia cat”, and fresh from the oven with a cup of coffee, it’s fika at its best.
Vinterljus: jewelry that catches the candlelight
Candlelight and jewelry are made for each other: cubic zirconia catches every flicker, pearl-look glows softly and warm gold tones look even warmer in the half-dark. Lundholm has had a Scandinavian design identity since 2018, which is why our looks and collections have Swedish names. Vinterljus means winter light, and it’s also the name of our Vinterljus winter collection: cubic zirconia, pearl-look and warm gold tones that catch exactly that light. Below are the most beautiful pieces, arranged after the Lucia procession itself.
All pieces are made of premium stainless steel with a gold- or silver-colored PVD coating: waterproof and hypoallergenic, so suitable for most people with sensitive skin. Only pearl-look is not waterproof.
The crown of light: zirconia that sparkles like a candle flame
Lucia wears the light on her head; you wear it in your ears, around your neck or on your wrist. Cubic zirconia is the easiest way to catch candlelight: a little spark with every move. Keep it lagom, just enough: one piece that truly sparkles and the rest simple. The Glimt look, Swedish for a glimmer of light, shows you how much that is.
Shop the look
Glimt – a glimmer of light
Silver and white sparkle like snow in candlelight, a perfect match for the white Lucia procession. Four pieces to wear together or on their own; prefer warm gold? Glimt also comes in gold tone.
- Anah necklace with zirconia pendant
- Nikki zirconia studs
- Inge tennis bracelet
- Luce triple ring with zirconia
The white gowns: pearl-look
The Lucia procession is all white, and pearl-look has exactly that soft, white glow. A pearl necklace with a cream sweater or a white blouse is the most Lucia thing you can wear without dressing up. Want the whole set? Have a look at the Pärla look, Swedish for pearl.
The stars of the star boys
The Lucia procession also includes the stjärngossar, the star boys with their cone-shaped hats and a star on a stick. So stars belong to Lucia just as much as candles, and a star in your ear is a playful nod to the festival without going full Christmas. Stjerna is named after the Swedish stjärna, star: a 0.7 cm star you’ll keep wearing every day long after December.
Saffron and candle glow: warm gold
Lussekatter are golden from the saffron, candlelight is warm and soft, and warm gold tones fit right in. Choose a piece that catches the light by itself: a layered necklace over a turtleneck, a chunky hoop that moves with you or a bangle that lights up with every cup of coffee.
A little Lucia gift: a glimmer of light before Christmas
Lucia falls right between St Nicholas’ Day and Christmas, which makes it a lovely moment for a small gesture. Not a big present, but a glimmer of light in the darkest weeks: for a friend who’s having a hard time, a colleague, your sister or simply yourself. Give it with a lussekatt and a candle, and write something like this on the card: “A little light for the darkest days.”
Pictured
Nikki – the smallest glimmer of light
Cubic zirconia studs in gold tone: small, bright and right for almost anyone. Choose the size yourself, from 3 to 6 mm; they go with everything she already wears. A gift she’ll see every day.
View the Nikki →
Not sure what suits her? The Gift Finder helps you in a few clicks, and all our looks are on one page. For more ideas, read Christmas jewelry for your girlfriend and the Christmas glow lookbook. Filling an Advent calendar instead? Here’s how to fill an Advent calendar.
Order before 15:00 on a working day and we’ll ship your order the same day. Shipping costs and delivery times for your country are on our shipping page. Every piece leaves in a luxury gift box, and when you order from our own web shop you always get a free gift bag too. For higher order values, our gift ladder adds free gifts as well, different every month.
Frequently asked questions about St Lucia Day
What is St Lucia Day?
St Lucia Day, also known as the Santa Lucia festival or Sankta Lucia, is Sweden’s festival of light on 13 December. A procession dressed in white walks through the dark singing and carrying candles, led by Lucia with a crown of candles on her head. Afterwards there are lussekatter (saffron buns) with coffee or glögg.
When is St Lucia Day?
St Lucia Day is on 13 December every year. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday. Traditionally Lucia appears before dawn, but at schools, churches and workplaces the celebrations also take place during the day or in the early evening.
Why is Lucia celebrated in Sweden?
Lucia brings light to the darkest time of the year. Around 13 December, Stockholm gets only about six hours of daylight, and in the old Julian calendar 13 December was the longest night of the year. The festival is named after Saint Lucia, whose name comes from the Latin lux: light.
What are lussekatter?
Lussekatter are soft Swedish yeast buns flavored with saffron, shaped like an S with a raisin in each curl. They’re eaten around Lucia and in the weeks before Christmas, usually with coffee or glögg. Lussekatt literally means Lucia cat.
Who walks in the Lucia procession?
Lucia leads the way with a crown of light and a red sash around her waist. Behind her walk the tärnor, each holding a candle, and the stjärngossar or star boys, with cone-shaped hats and a star on a stick. Children’s processions often include gingerbread men and little elves too. Almost everyone wears white.
What song do you sing on St Lucia Day?
The best-known song is Sankta Lucia, sung to a traditional melody from Naples. One of the most famous Swedish versions begins with Natten går tunga fjät, the night walks with heavy steps. The procession often sings Advent and Christmas songs as well.
How do you celebrate Lucia at home?
Turn off the big lights and put candles everywhere, bake or buy lussekatter, make coffee or glögg and play Sankta Lucia. Children can dress in white with a battery-powered crown of light and walk their own Lucia procession. A small gift that sparkles makes it complete.
What gift do you give on St Lucia Day?
Lucia isn’t a big gift-giving holiday, but a small glimmer of light is a lovely gesture: something that sparkles or catches the light, such as cubic zirconia studs, a little star or a pearl-look necklace. Give it with a lussekatt and a candle. Order from our own web shop and you’ll get a free gift bag.
What does Vinterljus mean?
Vinterljus is Swedish for winter light: the soft glow of candles, little lights and snow. It’s also the name of Lundholm’s winter collection, with cubic zirconia, pearl-look and warm gold tones that catch that light.
Catch the winter light
Cubic zirconia, pearl-look and warm gold tones for the darkest weeks of the year: waterproof (except pearl-look), hypoallergenic and always in a luxury gift box.
