Tomorrow, December 13 is Saint Lucia day! One of the most celebrated holidays in Sweden. 
Saint Lucia was a girl from Sicily, martyred for her Christian faith. During a faminine in the middle ages, she appeared in Sweden, bringing food, drink, and the promise that there would be gifts for Christmas. She brought hope and light to a country hurting in a time of darkness, and is celebrated now in a festival of lights. Traditionally, Lucia is "played" by the oldest daughter of the family. On December 13, she rises early and dresses in a white robe with a red sash. On her head she wears a crown of candles, to light the way while keeping her hands free. She carries a tray of cookies or Lucia Buns and coffee to each family memeber.
There are many Sankta Lucia songs sung across the nation, most with similar themes of bringing light in the darkness:
The night treads heavily
around yards and dwellings
In places unreached by sun,
the shadows brood
Into our dark house she comes,
bearing lighted candles
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.
Most Swedes know the standard Lucia song by heart.
The Lucia celebrations include ginger snaps and sweet, saffron-flavored buns (lussekatter-Lucia Buns). You eat them with glögg or coffee.
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