Greetings Rotarians,
I hope you had a happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Years! In this post, I will share with you all about Christmas and Winter traditions in Lund. So without further ado, let us begin.
Lund is very beautiful in winter. We have snow all around campus which creates a very nice atmosphere as long as you are dressed warm. You can roam around downtown or between the academic buildings in the daytime and at night. During the winter vacation there was hardly anyone in Lund, so you could hear the crunch of the snow and the cathedral bell.
Lund University covered in snow.
In the city square in downtown Lund, you would be able to hear the youth choir perform in the Lucia procession. Lucia Day is celebrated on the 13th of December. In the tradition, a young girl wears candles in her hair and brings forth light into the darkness. Lucia is an ancient mythical figure with an abiding role as a bearer of light in the dark Swedish winters. She also has roots as a Christian martyr who brought food to Christians in the Roman catacombs guided by candlelight (from the 4th century in Syracuse). Regardless of the origins, some of traditional lyrics of the song follow this pattern:
'The night treads heavily
around yards and dwellings
In places unreached by sun,
the shadows brood
Into our dark house she comes,
bearing lighted candles,
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.'
She is followed by handmaidens, star boys, and other attendants. All of Skåne has different events in all the churches, cathedrals, and town squares. Below is our public Lucia procession in Lund.
St. Lucia Day procession in downtown Lund.
In winter, the sun is hard to come by as we only have 6 to 7 hours of cloudy daylight each day. But that does not stop the winter cheer in Lund. Because of the darkness, Swedes are known to put up many lights, dress warmly, and consume warm drinks and pastries. Perhaps one of my favorite of these is warm mulled wine called Glögg. It is perfect to keep you warm when it starts to snow during a nighttime stroll around Lund.
Glögg: a warm mulled wine.
Lund University Library at night.
The lighting of the Christmas Tree celebration.
However, once the sun comes back up the next day, everyone takes advantage of it. You may be able to downtown and hear live performance and dance music, Christmas shopping, and ice skating. And yes...they do play a lot of ABBA. It is a very precious tradition in Sweden to play ABBA any chance you get. And if you go to the market, you just might be serenaded by an old Swedish Men's choir as they make their way up the elevator singing holiday hymns.
A local Swedish high school band performs in Lund.
I spent Christmas Eve in Copenhagen, Denmark and had a Christmas party with my classmates before they went home to their families. Christmas in Sweden is a very traditional family-centered holiday. The majority of Swedes spend time in their homes with family. They enjoy glögg, Swedish holiday movies, and delicious foods. Swedes even have a Christmas soda called Julmust, which is quite delicious.
To celebrate the winter break, I was invited to go to the Swedish countryside outside of Stockholm for a few days after Christmas. We ate many delicious foods and walked around the countryside. I could not help but admire the Swedish approach to the holiday season. It was always focused on having time for things, afternoon walks in the sun, and maximizing coziness. Sweden is a perfect country for introverts because it is common to all sit in a living room with each person having their own book next to the fire.
Every Swedish party necessity: Julmust.
An old church in the Swedish countryside.
A nighttime homemade Swedish meal with steak, mash potatoes, and Glögg.
The Christmas holidays in Sweden were very delightful. They brought much needed cheer in the dark, Swedish Winter. Many Rotarians and friends invited me into their homes and made me feel welcome. The Lund International Rotary Club even gifted me a tapestry of Lund Cathedral. It was the perfect gift for me as an avid lover of history.
If you have the chance to come to Sweden in winter, you will always find something magical and unique. Just be sure to dress appropriately, drink warm drinks, and pack vitamin D tablets. Till next time, I leave you with an old man I ran into playing tennis Godfather theme in the streets of Copenhagen on Christmas Eve.
Comments
Post a Comment