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St. Lucia’s Day Facts & Worksheets

St. Lucia’s Day is an annual tradition celebrated in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Bosnia, Croatia, and even in Italy in honor of St. Lucia (St. Lucy).

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St. Lucia’s Day is an annual tradition celebrated in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Bosnia, Croatia, and even in Italy in honor of St. Lucia (St. Lucy), one of the earliest Christian martyrs executed by the Romans in 304 CE because of her religious beliefs. It is also known as the festival of lights, that is marked on the 13th day of December to recognize the struggle between light and darkness in people’s everyday lives.

See the fact file below for more information on the St. Lucia’s Day or alternatively, you can download our 20-page St. Lucia’s Day worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

THE HISTORY

  • The most common story told about Lucia is that she was a young girl who became a Christian martyr. Her strong religious faith, which was against the Roman empire, caused her to lose her life in 304 CE.
  • Furthermore, Lucia is known for secretly bringing food to those Christians who were being persecuted in Rome, leaving them to hide in the catacombs under the city. In order to have both hands to carry things, Lucia would wear candles on her head, which is depicted during the festival.
  • The name Lucy also means light, hence the celebration.

THE CELEBRATION

  • This festival of lights first became widely celebrated in Sweden around the late 1700s. It is observed through a special feast called Luciadagen on December 13. According to tradition, the oldest female in each family has to wear a white dress with red sash and stockings. She also needs to wear a crown with a wreath and embellished with white candles. When dawn comes, the girl has to wake up all the members of the family and should serve them coffee and saffron buns called Lussekatter, or any kind of sweet bread.
  • The feast also includes serving a julbord, a buffet eaten at lunchtime.
  • Cold fish is always served on the julbord, along with herring, gravlax (salmon which has been preserved in sugar, salt, and dill), and smoked salmon as well.
  • However, it has also become immensely popular in different countries across the world. In Finland, St. Lucy’s Day takes place around October to December. Finnish people love to celebrate this event because of the warmth that it gives since their country is mostly cold and dark. In addition to this, young ladies also prepare to become the chosen one who will portray Saint Lucia during the festivities. Finalists composed of ten young girls are selected by a set of judges. These girls will proceed to the next round where the winner will be decided through a popular vote.
  • In Denmark, the celebration is almost similar to the previous ones. It also involves young ladies who are dressed in white while carrying lit candles in their hands as they sing. There is likewise a chosen Lucia for the entire procession. Danish people also give food during this annual holiday.
  • In Norway, St. Lucia’s Day is one of the only three celebrations recognized across the nation, along with St. Olav and St. John’s Day.
  • This holiday was first introduced to Norwegians in the late 1000s.
    In Italy, the festival of lights is likewise celebrated on December 13, particularly in the northern region and in Sicily. According to the tradition, Saint Lucy visits homes on the said day. For such reason, children write letters addressed to Lucy, a week before the festivity takes place, to tell her how they act and do good throughout the year in able to receive all the gifts that they want. This event is more religious-themed in the country.

THE SYMBOL

  • As previously noted, St. Lucia’s Day is usually celebrated on the 13th day of December. Some people believe that it is because of the eight-day gap in the old Julian calendar, marking the said date as the beginning of the winter solstice.
  • However, others would say that it was on December 13 that Christianity was first introduced in Scandinavia. Some individuals feel that it is the day when Saint Lucia was born.
  • For whatever reasons it might be, St. Lucia’s Day represents the blessings (light) that people receive in their lives amidst the challenges (darkness).

St. Lucia’s Day Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the St. Lucia’s Day across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use St. Lucia’s Day worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the St. Lucia’s Day which is an annual tradition celebrated in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Bosnia, Croatia, and even in Italy in honor of St. Lucia (St. Lucy), one of the earliest Christian martyrs executed by the Romans in 304 CE because of her religious beliefs. It is also known as the festival of lights, that is marked on the 13th day of December to recognize the struggle between light and darkness in people’s everyday lives.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Saint Lucia’s Day Facts
  • Saint Lucia’s Day in a Map
  • Find the Word
  • The Celebration: Complete the Information
  • Saint Lucia’s Day Timeline
  • Saint Lucia of Syracuse
  • The Symbols
  • Sketch the Celebration
  • The Feast Day of Saint Lucy
  • Saint Lucia’s Day in Different Countries
  • In a Nutshell

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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