December the 13th: Saint Lucia's Day, the time for Christmas to start in Sweden.
The Lucia bride (the eldest daughter usually) dresses in a white dress and red sash. She awakens everybody with breakfast singing the old song Saint Lucia. She wears a crown made of greenery and candles.
Christmas Even brings another Swedish custom with the families gathering together in the kitchen round a steaming bowl of soup. They dip a special piece of bread into the pan, it is in memory of the famine. Following this ritual they eat a special supper of hams, cold meats, sausage, cheeses and cakes.
Santa Claus is replaced in the festivity by a gnome called The Jultomen, (The Yule Man). The children leave him a bowl of porridge.
Grain is saved specially from the harvest for the birds. Sheaves of grain are tied onto poles in front of the houses.
When
the
feast
is
over,
the
living
room
doors
are
opened
for
the
first
time
in
days.
The
tree
is
up
and
decorated
with
streamers
and
candles.
Present
are
exchanged
and
songs
are
sung.
Soon
the
bells
ring,
somebody
will
read
out
the
Christmas
story
and
the
family
sing
carols.