Saint Lucia festival slated Sunday

A time-honoured Scandinavian tradition, the Zion Lutheran Church here will hold its Saint Lucia festival on Sunday, Dec. 2.
The service will take place at 5:30 p.m., with a Scandinavian dinner to follow at 6.
The price is $13.50, with tickets on sale at Northwoods Gallery & Gifts until Friday (Nov. 30).
Saint Lucia Day officially falls on Dec. 13 and marks the beginning of Christmas in Sweden, when her people celebrate the festival of lights.
It is on this morning that the oldest girl in each Swedish household gets up long before daybreak to prepare fresh, hot coffee and Swedish rolls.
She then dresses in a long, white robe with a red sash about her waist, and places a crown of blazing candles on her head, before bringing gifts to those she loves.
It is said that an aura of beauty and light seems to surround each Lucia bride as she appears in the early-morning hours on one of the darkest, coldest days of the Swedish Christmas season, creating feelings of warmth and love, hope and peace, and high anticipation for the coming days of Christmas.
The celebration of Saint Lucia comes during the Advent season when we realize that the light and love that Lucia displayed is but a mere reflection of a far greater light and a far deeper love—the love of a gracious heavenly Father who sent his only begotten Son to enlighten the darkness that still exists in our time.
To learn more about the Saint Lucia legend and celebrate with a Scandinavian dinner, come to the Zion Lutheran Church this Sunday.