It is comforting to know there are still Christmas celebrations taking place that honor timeless traditions.
The Tegner Lodge 109 in Scotia, a group of about 50 people of Swedish and Scandinavian heritage, will celebrate St. Lucia’s Day in true Scandinavian fashion.
Along with the St. Lucia procession, which consists of young boys and girls singing songs in Swedish costumes around the Christmas tree, the Tegner Lodge’s Sunday, Dec. 9, celebration will include traditional Swedish foods, folklore and music.
Ingrid Frank, a member of the lodge’s board, said that St. Lucia is the festival of lights, which marks the darkest day of the year, Dec. 13. She said that while the St. Lucia celebration originated in Sicily, Italy, it is a custom that known to most Europeans.
Typically, one young woman is chosen to portray St. Lucia, and wears a wreath of candles on her head light on the longest night of the year. Other girls carry single candles, and boys wear cone-shaped hats and carry stars on sticks in the procession
Frank said the Swedish celebration includes delicacies like rice pudding, ginger snaps, saffron buns, Swedish Christmas cookies and Glogg,` a Swedish beverage. Swedish meatballs are, of course, on the menu, as well as scalloped potatoes with anchovies, herring and potatoes.
`We will eat, dance, sing and have a gift exchange, but the meaning behind the celebration is to celebrate what Christmas is all about, friends and family of course,` said Frank.
Frank said the Swedish Lodge has been a second home to her since moving from Sweden to America. She said while she still gets homesick, the Tegner Lodge has helped her keep her culture part of her American life.
`It’s just so nice to be able to sit and talk with people who share my traditions and memories,` said Frank.
Communications spokeswoman for the lodge Paula Wallin-Eddy said the lodge will celebrate its 100th year in April. A celebration has already taken place in Saratoga, where members took time to honor 100 years of friendship and heritage.
`A faithful group of people continue to honor their ancestors’ history and cultures as well as passing it on to their next generation, always striving to seek out new members to continue the journey with,` said Wallin-Eddy of the celebrations.
Chairman of the lodge Alan Andersen said the success of the lodge is in part because of how much it gives back to its members. He said the celebration of St. Lucia is just an example of how the lodge honors simple pleasures, such as food and conversation. He said originally the lodge was only open to people with Swedish heritage, but now members are a mix of people with Swedish and Scandinavian backgrounds.
`We are happy to have a mix of Swedish, Danish, Iceland and Finland, and spouses of people with these backgrounds. Believe it or not, we even accept those who have a genuine interest in the Scandinavian culture,` said Andersen.
Andersen said in the spring, the group holds a barbecue and has a Maypole to mark the start of the summer season, another event that he said is popular with the lodge.
The St. Lucia celebration coincides with the celebration of `God Jul` or Merry Christmas. This celebration will be held at the Buekendall Masonic Temple on Schonowe Avenue in Scotia on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m.“