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Next: 13 Dec 2026

St Lucia Day

A procession of white-robed children with candle crowns and saffron buns on the darkest-feeling morning of the year.

Saint Lucy's Day: Saint Lucy's Day (Lucia) procession. Sweden, 2007.
Photo: Fredrik Magnusson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When is St Lucia Day in 2026?

St Lucia Day 2026 is on Sunday, 13 December 2026. Other years: 2027, Monday, 13 December 2027; 2028, Wednesday, 13 December 2028.

About St Lucia Day

On 13 December, in the old calendar the longest night, Sweden and neighbouring countries celebrate the festival of light in memory of Saint Lucy, a martyr of Syracuse in the early fourth century whose name means light. In schools, churches and homes, a procession led by a girl in a white gown, a red sash and a crown of lit candles, with attendants carrying candles and boys in star-crowned cones, walks in the dark singing "Sankta Lucia". Families wake their members with trays of lussekatter, saffron buns, and coffee or mulled wine. Gingersnaps, pepparkakor, are baked. In Sweden, a national Lucia is chosen each year, and in Finland, a Lucia is crowned in Helsinki. In Italy, the day is remembered with a feast of cuccia, a wheat dish.

St Lucia Day dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

YearSt Lucia Day date
2026Sunday, 13 December 2026
2027Monday, 13 December 2027
2028Wednesday, 13 December 2028

What is eaten

  • lussekatter
  • pepparkakor
  • glogg
  • cuccia

Also part of it, and being written: Lucia procession (The candlelit procession.), Lussekatt (The saffron bun.), Saint Lucy (The martyr remembered.).

More marked on St Lucia Day

🇸🇪 Stockholm, Sweden and 4 moreSaint Lucy's Day A December festival of light and song held across Scandinavia and Italy to honour a Christian martyr.Festival · Breakfast 🇸🇪 SwedenJul A midwinter holiday of feast tables, doorstep gift givers, and candlelit morningsSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreSaffron bun A golden, spiced yeast roll flavoured with saffron, baked for festive and holy daysTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs 🇩🇰 DenmarkJul Winter feasts, carols around the tree, and family gatherings across DenmarkFestival · Lunch
About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Saint Lucy's Day" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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