Lucia Expressions
Sweden's darkest morning made bright — luciatåg, lussekatter, stjärngossar and Sankta Lucia.
Lucia, December 13th, decoded: the tåg's cast (lucia with her ljuskrona, tärnorna, stjärngossarna, and the pepparkaksgubbar — the youngest, so ingen står utanför), the songs (Sankta Lucia, Staffan var en stalledräng), the modern notes (batteriljus nuförtiden, bli vald versus alla som vill får), the workplace version (kören kommer klockan åtta, alla slutar jobba), the sensory core (doften av saffran, gåshud, en klump i halsen) — ending with the annual truth: även skeptikerna kommer. Ingen missar Lucia.
- 1
luciatåget
the Lucia procession
Tip: lit. 'the Lucia train' — a line of children singing in the dark.
- 2
vara lucia
to be Lucia
Tip: lit. 'be lucia' — the one with the candle crown.
- 3
ljuskronan
the candle crown
Tip: lit. 'the light crown' — real candles once, LEDs now.
- 4
tärnorna
the handmaidens
Tip: lit. 'the maidens' — white gowns, glitter in the hair.
- 5
stjärngossarna
the star boys
Tip: lit. 'the star boys' — cone hats and a star on a stick.
- 6
pepparkaksgubbarna
the gingerbread men
Tip: lit. the same — for the smallest children.
- 7
tomteluvan
the tomte costume
Tip: lit. 'the gnome cap' — the other option for little ones.
- 8
lussekatter
saffron buns
Tip: lit. 'Lucia cats' — the S-shaped saffron bun.
- 9
pepparkakor och glögg
gingerbread and glögg
Tip: lit. the same — served straight after.
- 10
sjunga i mörkret
to sing in the dark
Tip: lit. the same — at seven in the morning, in December.
- 11
trettonde december
the thirteenth of December
Tip: lit. the same — once believed to be the longest night.
- 12
årets mörkaste tid
the darkest time of year
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
en ljusbärare
a bringer of light
Tip: lit. 'a light bearer'.
- 14
bli vald till lucia
to be chosen as Lucia
Tip: lit. the same — once a vote, now usually everyone who wants to.
- 15
alla som vill får vara lucia
everyone who wants to can be Lucia
Tip: lit. the same — the modern Swedish compromise.
- 16
luciakonserten på jobbet
the workplace Lucia concert
Tip: lit. the same — at eight, before the coffee.
- 17
en tidig morgon
an early start
Tip: lit. 'an early morning'.
- 18
vara uppe före gryningen
to be up before dawn
Tip: lit. the same.
- 19
doften av saffran
the smell of saffron
Tip: lit. the same.
- 20
få gåshud
to get goosebumps
Tip: lit. 'get goose skin' — everyone does, every year.
- 21
en klump i halsen
a lump in your throat
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
en tradition värd att behålla
a tradition worth keeping
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
repetitioner i veckor
rehearsals for weeks
Tip: lit. the same.
- 24
föräldrarna som filmar allt
the parents filming everything
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
glömma texten
to forget the words
Tip: lit. the same — half the choir does.
- 26
levande ljus överallt
candles everywhere
Tip: lit. 'living light everywhere' — the Swedish word for candlelight.
- 27
ljus i mörkret
light in the darkness
Tip: lit. the same — the whole idea in three words.
- 28
Sankta Lucia
the Lucia song
Tip: lit. the same — an Italian melody with Swedish words.
- 29
Staffan var en stalledräng
Staffan was a stable boy
Tip: lit. the same — the second song, always.
- 30
Pepparkaksgubbar
the gingerbread song
Tip: lit. the same — for the smallest ones.
- 31
ett ljus i varje hand
a candle in each hand
Tip: lit. the same — for the handmaidens.
- 32
batteriljus nuförtiden
battery candles now
Tip: lit. the same — after too many singed fringes.
- 33
riktiga ljus i kronan
real candles in the crown
Tip: lit. the same — still, in some places.
- 34
glitter i håret
glitter in the hair
Tip: lit. the same.
- 35
ett rött band runt midjan
a red ribbon round the waist
Tip: lit. the same — the symbol of martyrdom.
- 36
en vit linneklänning
a white gown
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
hela förskolan är med
the whole nursery takes part
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
de minsta är pepparkaksgubbar
the youngest are gingerbread men
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
ingen står utanför
nobody is left out
Tip: lit. the same — the modern principle.
- 40
en lucia på varje arbetsplats
a Lucia in every workplace
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
kören kommer klockan åtta
the choir arrives at eight
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
alla slutar jobba
everyone stops working
Tip: lit. the same — for twenty minutes.
- 43
lussebullar och kaffe efteråt
saffron buns and coffee after
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
doften av hela säsongen
the smell of the whole season
Tip: lit. the same.
- 45
känna att december börjar på riktigt
to feel December properly begin
Tip: lit. the same.
- 46
även skeptikerna kommer
even the sceptics turn up
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
ingen missar Lucia
nobody misses Lucia
Tip: lit. the same.