How to Celebrate a Scandinavian Christmas

The Christmas season in Scandinavia begins with St. Lucia Day on December 13 and continues through to the end of Christmas Day.

Things You'll Need

• Straws
• White Dresses
• Christmas Trees
• Christmas Wreaths
• Candles
• Yule Logs
• Roasted Geese

Instructions

1. Expect your oldest daughter to wear a white dress and a wreath with seven candles on St. Lucia Day.

2. Remember that she will serve buns and coffee to you and the rest of her family.

3. Prepare a roast goose on Christmas Eve.

4. Keep in mind that the use of the yule log originated in Scandinavia. In the past, the whole tree was brought into the home and burned bit by bit in the fireplace throughout the season.

5. Understand that the yuletide season - which, literally translated, means "the turning of the sun" - begins with the arrival of the winter solstice.

6. Arrange a Christmas tree in your home. In days long past, the Vikings in Scandinavia believed that evergreens were associated with Balder, the sun god.

7. Set up a straw bed on which the whole family can sleep. This is said to bring good luck and fortune for the next 12 months.

8. Be prepared to bundle up to try to stay warm during the cold weather that typically accompanies the Christmas season.

Tips & Warnings

• The reindeer in Scandinavia are kept in "reindeer herding districts," where they graze throughout the year.

• Scandinavia is a region with many cultural influences, so Christmas traditions are diverse and cannot be generalized. The preceding steps represent a few examples of local traditions that may or may not be appropriate for your personal celebration of Christmas.