This is St. Lucy’s Day, known as Luciadagen in Norway. Through the vagaries of history, St. Lucy came to have special significance in Scandinavia, based on a legend that she appeared one night during a famine, in a shining ship loaded with food for the people. It’s originally a Swedish custom, but widely observed in other Scandinavian countries too, for one girl of the family to get up early and prepare special rolls for breakfast, which she serves while wearing the Lucia costume, a white gown and a garland in her hair with lighted candles in it. She leads a procession of other girls, singing the traditional Italian song as performed in the video above.

More information about the day’s customs below the fold, courtesy of Sverre Østen’s book, Hva Dagene Vet, ©1988 by Ernst G. Mortensen’s Forlag (my translation):

Today honors Lucia of Syracuse. She was sentenced to be sent to a brothel as punishment for becoming a Christian. But they were unable to move her from the spot where she stood, even after 1,000 men and several oxen were brought to help. They attempted to burn her, but the wood would not kindle. Finally they slew her with a sword thrust.

Lucia’s Eve is considered the longest night of the year by the animals in the barns. The animals, you see, are able to speak with one another during that one night. It was so long that the cows bit their ropes three times; so long that lice could crawl the lengths of three beds. The night was that long for the animals because the farm folk were enjoying their Christmas brandy and forgot to feed the stock. On this night the cows’ horns came loose, so they could be turned this way and that.

This night was haunted. All the elves and trolls, together with the wild Asgard riders, were out and racing about, so no one dared to go outside after dark.

In large parts of Norway the Christmas season was reckoned to begin on this day. It was customary to have all heavy work finished by now.