In Sweden, St. Lucia's Day marks the beginning of the Christmas celebration. On her feast day the eldest daughter in each family

dresses in a white dress with a red sash, and wears an evergreen wreath with 7 lighted candles on her head. She carries coffee and

buns to each family member in his or her room. Often even hotel guests are awakened and served coffee cakes on this day by a

white-robed girl. Many schools, offices, and communities sponsor candlelight parades in the evenings in which carols are sung

and everyone thanks the Queen of Light for bringing hope during the darkest time of the year.

Lucia is a festival occurring on December 13, or Lucia Day. Lucia is a young girl, wearing a crown with candles on her head. She is followed by a number of girl attendants, also dressed in white and with candles in their hands. There are also boys, 'star-boys', participating in the ceremony. They, too, are dressed in white and they wear pointed caps. Lucia and her attendants visit places like schools, hospitals, offices and churches and sing traditional songs like Sankta Lucia. They may also bring coffee, gingerbread biscuits and 'Lucia cats', a kind of saffron bun.

The Lucia tradition is based on the legend of a pious Sicilian girl who wanted to devote her life to God instead of marrying. When she refused the proposal of a nobleman she was killed, and subsequently she became a martyr.