Welcome, once again, to my Danish Christmas Advent Calendar! Every day I’ll be giving you a little peak into how our family celebrates Christmas here in Copenhagen. Do the Danes love Christmas? Um, yes – they even use the word Christmas as a verb… Vi juler! (We are ‘christmasing’!)
So get comfy, put your feet up, grab a cup of something warm, and prepare for an avalanche of hygge!
13 December 2015
Okay, so there are no prizes for guessing what I’m writing about today… 13 December means one thing and one thing only. Santa Lucia! A candlelight, singing procession – just before the sun comes up or goes down – on St. Lucia Day, the 13th of December. Lead by the Lucia-brud (‘Lucia bride’) – she’s the girl with the crown of candles in her hair – her followers wearing long white robes and bearing candles. A tradition stolen from our neighbours – those silly (but lovable) Swedes. This is what it looked like when my DD15 took part in the procession a couple of years ago. 8.15am and it was still pitch black outside…
Making their way through the corridors and the school library…
And, no – your eyes do not deceive you… The girls carry real, lighted candles. And the staff – selvfølgelig – take plenty of precautions. One of the girls got her hair just a bit too close to the flame (have you ever noticed that almost every young Danish girl has long hair?! not a smart bob in sight!) and her hair got singed ever so slightly. With that awful telltale smell into the bargain! 
But the teachers were on hand immediately and nothing worse happened. All in a day’s work for a Danish teacher! The Lucia girls thought it was exciting and have a story to tell. And I’m glad to live in a country where they don’t use fear mongering and ban lighted candles – but instead carry on the tradition, use their common sense and teach the kids respect for open flames. Hooray for those crazy Danes! But for the faint at heart, battery operated candles are available…
If you want to hear the Lucia song, and get a real feeling of what it’s like to watch the small kids go by, here’s a cute little video from a Danish school. Not a dry Mum’s eye in the house, I’m sure! 
And will you be eating lussekatter today (‘St Lucia’ saffron buns)? They’re very popular in Sweden but that tradition didn’t really catch on here in Denmark.
Time to light those candles… But, hey, be careful out there!
See you tomorrow!
Diane
[…] Some of my Danish friends even do it the old-school way and use REAL candles on the tree. Yep, real candles on girls heads for Lucia, real candles on the Christmas tree. Health and Safety forgot to make a stop in Denmark! But I […]