Tyndale: Who is Saint Lucia, and how is her celebration related to Christmas? 

Sonja Anderson: In the fourth century AD, a young Sicilian woman named Lucia prayed desperately that  God would heal her ill mother, vowing that she would use her dowry money to serve the  poor if she lived. Her mother was healed, and when Lucia did use the money to bring  food to persecuted Christians in hiding, her fiancé was so enraged that he turned her in to the authorities. Legend says that she used a crown of candles to keep her hands free  and to light her way to help the poor until she was martyred in the year 304.  

No one really knows how this Italian saint’s story came to Sweden. Missionaries, or even  Vikings, it is said, were the possible sources of the Saint Lucia story in Sweden. Some  say that the people of the Värmland province were saved one winter when a woman  dressed in white, wearing a crown of candles, came across the lake in the bow of a boat  that carried food to the starving people.  

One thing that everyone can agree on is that Lucia’s saints’ day, December 13, has become a joyful celebration of light and hope in Sweden, both in the home and in  broader communities. The candlelit processions, delicious ginger cookies and saffron  buns, and special music bring people together, young and old, during the darkest  season of the year. Since the holiday also occurs during Advent and honors a young  woman’s selfless devotion to Christ, it has become a special way for me and my family and many other people to mark the beginning of the Christmas season.

What is a Dala horse? 

Simply put, a Dala horse (Dalahäst in Swedish) is a hand-carved and -painted pine  horse with a distinctive silhouette, produced largely in Dalarna, a province in Sweden.  Put on display at a mid-19th-century exposition in Paris, along with a large one on  display at the Sweden Pavillion in the New York 1939 World Exhibition, the horse became a national symbol of Sweden.  

Traditionally, they were painted in a bright orange-red paint that was commonly  produced from the region’s copper mine processing. The area was also known for  crafting furniture decorated with the kurbits style of art, so it isn’t surprising that their little  wooden horses began to also be decorated with the floral flourishes.  

Several stories are told about the horse’s origin. Most agree that furniture makers would  use wooden scraps to make the toys to sell or barter for lodging as they traveled to  markets or that people in the lumber industry would entertain themselves in the evenings  by carving the toys to bring home to their children. I was captivated by stories of soldiers  who were stationed in the region during wartime in the 18th century, who carved the toys  to thank the hosts who gave them room and board. 

Today, Dala horses are found in many different colors, and you can also find Dala pigs  and roosters, and even moose! 

As I look around my home, I realize that Dala horses have been special to me my whole  life. The first project I ever created in cross-stitch at summer camp was a Dala horse,  and the first wood carving project my dad ever carved for me was also a Dala horse! My  family’s love for them undoubtedly came from my mother’s side of the family, though, whose grandparents had immigrated from Sweden as teenagers in the late 1880s. 

What is a tiny tomte? 

A tomte is a Swedish gnome, identified by his long gray beard and a red cap on his  head. Many Nordic countries have a similar gnome-like creature, with names like tonttu and nisse. Nisse comes from an old Norse word that means “dear little relative”;  Scandinavian tradition says that these small creatures live in barns and farms, acting as  secret guardians. They make sure that all is in order, and in Sweden, all they want in return is a bowl of porridge at Christmastime.  

Children take care not to offend or forget their tomte, as the small gnomes can be quite  mischievous if they feel slighted! Today, the Jultomte, or Christmas Tomte, appears like Santa Claus and brings gifts to the family. 

What is your favorite Swedish tradition? 

While my children were growing up, the Santa Lucia pageant at our church was my  favorite part of Christmas. During the first weekend of Advent, my church celebrated Julfest in honor of the Swedes who founded the church in Seattle many years ago,  which means it literally helped us kick off our holiday season. I loved the way my  children moved from being a “dancing pepparkakor” to a white-robed, candle-carrying  girl in the procession. It was a special year indeed when my eldest wore the crown of candles and sang “Santa Lucia” in Swedish to the hundreds gathered there in the church! 

Traditional foods, however, also rank highly on my list! I’ll never forget the Christmas that  I spent in Tokyo. One of my friends from college sent me a box of homemade  pepparkakor cookies, and I was so homesick that I cried while eating each and every  one. The smell of cardamom bread and Swedish meatballs baking takes me back to my  childhood. I can remember my grandmother proudly telling me how many meatballs she  had made! It makes me happy to pass on to my daughters some of the same recipes  that came from my grandmother—and probably from her grandmother before her! I just  wish that I wasn’t the only one in my family who cared for rice pudding. 

How can traditions enrich our celebration of Christ’s birth? 

Some traditions, like Santa Lucia, Advent wreaths, and the candlelight service on  Christmas Eve, are so special because they reflect in beautiful and symbolic ways that  Jesus is the Light of the World. When we pass the light from one candle to another in the  pews, it reminds me that we are also called to spread the light of Christ to the world. I can remember the excitement I felt as a child when, each week, another candle in the Advent wreath was lit and Christmas drew closer! 

Why is it important to share our traditions with future generations? 

When we share our traditions with our children or our church families, we say, “This is  part of me, something I have loved that was passed down to me by people I love. It’s  something I still hold dear, and because I hold you dear, too, I want to share it with you!”  One of my favorite parts of having grown children who are establishing their own homes  is when they ask for a family recipe or when I visit their condos and see Dala horses and  other Swedish decorations! Yay! Traditions are being passed down! I believe that such  traditions help children to feel safe and grounded, especially when this involves being  rooted in Christ.  

A few years ago, I discovered a memoir written by my great-grandmother who had  emigrated from Sweden when she was a teenager. To hear her memories of Christmas,  of the year her grandfather helped them celebrate after their farmhouse burned to the  ground during harvest season, and, always, of her thankfulness to God for “the Babe in  Bethlehem” has made me feel so connected to these past generations. The faith in Christ that I was raised in had deep roots indeed! I’m so grateful. 

I work in a school library and talk to about 500 children on a weekly basis; I see their  desire to belong, or to feel that they are important. Some children really struggle with  this! I see a difference in the children whose families, especially Christian families, are a source of strength and confidence-building identity; they tend to be leaders and to better handle disappointment.  

Children are also very smart, so it’s important, when we do share our traditions, to share  why they’re important to us and to our faith. “Because that’s the way we always do it” is  not a convincing argument to today’s children! They do respond, however, when we lift  the veil a little and let them see why we treat traditions as special parts of our lives that  connect one generation to another. 

How can learning about a different culture’s traditions enrich our communities? 

My elementary school library is in a school district that serves families from around the world; over 100 different languages are spoken by our students! Every year, we have a “Multicultural Night” that brings everyone together to hear Japanese taiko drums, hear the Spanish Club sing songs in Spanish, taste treats from around the world, and much more. It’s so much fun and amazing to see many of the children dressed in their  traditional best. The children delight in sharing parts of their lives that normally get  downplayed in favor of Minecraft or Hello Kitty T-shirts and lunch boxes! 

I learn so much from the students, from the Ethiopian students who wear special carved  crosses brought from Ethiopia or Muslim students who wear head coverings and tell me  they’re trying to memorize the Quran or fast during Ramadan for the first time. Catholic  Hispanic students have been delighted to discover our children’s Bibles, and Asian  students quietly wear golden Buddhas around their necks. 

All of these students are proud of their cultural traditions. I am proud of the way we all  form a community that respects each other and enjoys the traditions that are shared at  times, like our Multicultural Night. I’m also thankful for the amazing opportunity that the  Lord has given to me to love my neighbor and love the world, for they are one and the  

same and at my neighborhood school! I’m also prayerful that God will use me in  meaningful ways through my writing. As I share my own cultural traditions from my  Swedish heritage, may that give me an opening to share with my students what is at the  heart of these traditions: the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Christ, or, as my Great Grandmother Edla said, “the Babe of Bethlehem.”

“A Christmas Wish for Little Dala Horse” is currently available wherever books are sold.

A Special Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for the images and Q&A.