Almost every town in Sweden chooses one girl to be that year’s Lucia girl and lead the town’s Lucia parade. The chosen girl wears a white full-length chemise with a red sash around her waist, and a ring of lingonberry sprigs on her head. The wreaths hold real candles, which give the effect of a halo. The Lucia girl is joined by a group of Lucia attendants and Star Boys, who together form a choir that sing Christmas carols and the traditional Lucia Song. Individual families also choose their own Lucia – usually the oldest daughter — whose duties are to sing and serve the family saffron buns and peppakakor.
Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood was first settled as a Swedish farming community after the Great Fire of 1871, when Swedish enclaves on the near north side of Chicago moved further north. Today, Andersonville still honors its Swedish traditions, while hosting a vibrant, diverse community with many cultures.