Lucia brings light in the midwest

Skansen Children’s Club brought light in the darkness, music and cookies to young and old on Lucia weekend. 

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  The Luciatåg of Skansen Children’s Club in Milwaukee took cookies, music and light to Swedish families. Photo by George Katsekes, Jr.

• Several members of Skansen Children’s Club in Milwaukee took to the streets on Lucia weekend to share the tradition with Swedish families. This year’s Lucia, 10-year-old Grace Katsekes, handed Anne-Marie Hummel a plate of goodies at her home, where the group was invited inside to see authentic Swedish decorations and share the traditional music of Lucia. The Luciatåg brought light in the darkness, music and cookies to several homes and a senior living center that evening.

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  The Luciatåg of Skansen Children’s Club in Milwaukee took cookies and music to Anne-Marie Hummel, who invited the group inside to see authentic Swedish decorations and share the traditional Lucia celebration. Photo by George Katsekes, Jr.

• On Sunday, 20 children and a few parents performed the group's 70-year-old Lucia tradition, sponsored for the third year by the Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin, and organized by Sonia Hummel. The lights dimmed and children entered the church and sang by candlelight, read poems in Swedish, heard the the history of Lucia and invited everyone to sing along when they knew the words (a lot of them did). Afterward, the children changed from their white robes and gingerbread costumes into their blue and yellow Swedish costumes, and joined more than 100 young and old folks around the julgran (Christmas tree) in the church basement. Nearly everyone danced and enjoyed all the food — pepparkakor and open faced sandwiches, meatballs, potato sausage, rice pudding, candy and more. Jultomten even made an appearance to wish everyone a God Jul.