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e Swedish dark winter
露西亚---瑞典暗夜之光天使
Today is the 13th December and in Sweden we celebrate the Lucia day. It is a very Swedish tradition, even if some say it is in remembrance of an Italian saint, Sancta Lucia.
12月13日是圣露西亚节。这是瑞典的传统节日，尽管据说圣露西亚是意大利基督徒。
In the dark morning on the 13th, , girls dress up in white robes and walk in a procession with candles, singing the song Sancta Lucia and other Christmas carols. The lead Lucia girl wears a wreath with lingonberry sprigs on her head with holders for candles, sometimes real, sometimes battery powered. They usually bring saffron buns and ginger biscuits as a treat for the people they visit. Sometimes there are also boys in the procession, called “star boys”, with star decorated paper hats.
13号凌晨，女孩子列队而行，穿上白袍，戴着花冠，手持蜡烛，唱诵圣露西亚歌及其他基督圣诗。她们会为被访的客人带去番红花面包和姜饼。有时候也有戴着星星图案帽子的“星少年”参与表演。
It is a very old and typical Swedish tradition, from the 18,19th centuries. At that time, a sort of Christmas fasting started at the 13th December. (Actually I did´t know that, I found it in a book about Swedish traditions:)). The name Lucia is associated with the latin name for light, (lux), which seems logical since this is the darkest time of the year in Sweden and we really need some light！
这传统自18/19世纪起便在瑞典流行了。当时的人们从13号开始绝食（我也是从书上看到的）。因为露西亚（Lucia）这名字在拉丁文里有“光”的意思，我不禁猜测，这是不是跟瑞典在这时节最黑最暗有关系呢。
Jie: Fasting?
节：绝食？
Karin: It is when you refrain from eating, in preparation for the food feast at Christmas Eve. I have never heard about this tradition before actually, but it was said that people eat a lot on the 13th, several breakfasts, and then refrained from eating, or restricted the eating until Christmas.
开宁： 嗯，是为了平安夜的时候能吃更多。我之前也没听说过，据说当时人们在13号这天会吃多顿早餐，然后绝食直到平安夜。


Familiar traditions for Swedes, home and abroad
海内外的瑞典家庭传统
Usually the Swedish Chamber in Shanghai arranges a gathering with a Lucia procession on Lucia day. It is very popular for Swedes in Shanghai (and some Chinese too!) to get a little taste of their familiar traditions at Christmas time.
通常上海的瑞典协会在这天会安排圣露西亚活动。这自然受到在异乡的瑞典人欢迎啦！（甚至还包括一些中国人）
瑞典的圣露西亚节

Karin: This year, at my workplace in Sweden, we had a visit of children from a local school class who performed beautifully and sang many songs. The Lucia girl had real candles in her hair, which can be a bit dangerous. I remember when my sister was Lucia in our school she had to put a wet handkerchief on her hair to protect it from getting burnt.
开宁：今年在我瑞典的工作室，也迎来了这些孩子的表演和歌唱。有个女孩的头顶还放了真正的蜡烛，感觉挺危险的。我记得当年我姐姐作为“圣露西亚女孩”时，她将一条湿巾搁在头顶，防止头发被烧。
瑞典的圣露西亚节

Jie: Do all girls at schools participate?
节：所有在校的女学生都会参与其中？
Karin: No, not all children are chosen to walk in the Lucia procession. It can be quite a competition, at least when I was young. The Lucia is usually required to be tall, preferably with blond hair and some capability of singing. I never managed to be a Lucia, but I took part as a “maid” in the procession at my school.
开宁：不是所有人都会被选中。其实竞争还挺激烈的，至少在我年轻的时候这样。通常要求圣露西亚女孩长得高，最好是金发、擅长歌唱的。我从没当过圣露西亚女孩，倒是做过一回圣露西亚女孩的“陪同”。
There is also a big competition with votes for a Lucia for the whole of Sweden and often one in every small city/village too, arranged by the local newspapers.
瑞典会举办一个全国性的圣露西亚票选，而在不同的城镇村庄，也会有地方媒体举办的不同比赛。
Jie: How do you celebrate the Lucia ? Will you celebrate it at home?
节：你们会怎样庆祝圣露西亚节？
Karin: Sorry. We don´t celebrate Lucia at home any more, it is only when you have small children. But all kindergartens and schools do it.
开宁：现在我的孩子长大了，所以不会在家庆祝圣露西亚。不过所有的幼儿园和学校都会庆祝。
Jie. What’s the difference between a couple of years before and now?
节：跟数年前比起来，现在有什么不一样的？
Karin: It is more or less the same actually. A few differences are that at kindergartens there can be a lot of lead Lucias, since all the kids are allowed to have the Lucia dress. Some of the very traditional songs are also replaced by more modern “pop songs”. And some even sing in English!
开宁：其实也差不多。要说区别，可能是现在会有更多孩子当圣露西亚男孩女孩吧，因为所有孩子都拥有这种衣服。还有一些传统曲目，现在已经被流行歌替代了，有些还是英文歌！
瑞典的圣露西亚节





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