While I do love ugly Christmas sweaters (jumpers, depending on where you are) and Christmas pajamas, that isn’t all there is to holiday dressing. One of my favourite days during the holiday season is St. Lucy’s Day (aka Saint Lucia Day) on 13 December. I’ll explain more about the day below, but one of the reasons that I love it is the dress with it. It is a specific type of dress and I think demonstrates perfectly how traditions can be honoured and still adapted to the present. This Style File Friday, we are looking at the St. Lucy’s Day costume!
What is St. Lucy’s Day?
Not shockingly, St. Lucy’s Day on 13 December honours St. Lucy. Lucia of Syracuse lived in the third and fourth centuries CE, and is a martyr. She was killed for being a Christian during the Diocletian Reforms, and notably had her eyes removed. (Historians aren’t sure if they were removed after her arrest or if she removed them herself to avoid a suitor’s attention…) You will sometimes see cookies or cupcakes with eyeballs on them, but many countries will often have a saffron bread to celebrate the day.
Dressing for St. Lucy’s Day
In many countries, including many Scandinavian countries, there is a Lucy Day procession. The day is considered to be a day of light, and that is reflected in the dress. A girl in the community is chosen to be the Lucy girl for that day, and she leads the procession. She is wearing a white robe, a red sash, and a crown of lights. While the crown traditionally had candles on it, most now wear electronic candles. (You can still observe traditions and be modern!) Depending on where you are, the procession can be made up of girls or boys. The Lucy girl (and sometimes the other girls) will carry baskets of bread, rolls, and cookies, and often distribute them amongst the community.
It is a simple dress/ costume, but I love that it is still observed today.
I hope you enjoyed this look at St. Lucy’s Day costume!
Cheers,
The Historian
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