A week late, but Monday December 13th was Lucia Day. It is a festival celebrating Saint Lucia, who, I believe, was persecuted for her religion and the fact that she didn’t want to get married. People tried to kill for it, but she didn’t die, and she also took out her own eyes but they came back. The red sash that the Lucia wears symbolizes her blood that was shed. That is some things I have heard, and I’m still not sure why the guys wear those silly pointed hats with stars on them… They remind me of the movie Fantasia, where mickey Mouse is doing sorcery behind his master’s back. Lucia is celebrated in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. My Swedish friend was surprised to learn that it’s not very popular in the US.
Anyhow, so Tornakoren sung three concerts in the University Building that day. We all, girls and guys, had our floor-length white ’nightgownesque’ dressed on and the girls had lingonberry leave wreaths and candles. I’d never been inside the hall before- it’s GORGEOUS! I’d recommend peeking in some day when you’re passing by, if you haven’t seen it. It’s looks like an old Romanesque church, except I don’t think it was ever designed as a church, which is supported by the fact that it doesn’t have an architectural cross foot print. Anyways, I’m also not sure whether lussekater (the s-shaped saffron buns) are related to Lucia or are just a Christmas thing, but they’re delicious. It’s funny, you can really tell what’s typically traditional or popular if the chain supermarkets have them. Thank you to everyone who came to our Lucia concert. I hope it wasn’t too obvious which songs I didn’t know… (give me a break all but two were in Swedish! haha). I was a little worried during the dress rehearsal when the choir directors told us not to wear hairspray because the candles could light it on fire and also to hold the candle as low as possible to avoid fainting from the lack of oxygen!! I never knew singing in a choir could be so risky. But luckily no one fainted, caught on fire, froze (we couldn’t wear shoes), or fell over during the concerts. A great first Lucia for me!
