The 40th Celebration of the St. Lucia Tradition was held on Sunday, December 10, 2017 at 3:00 P.M. – View Full Program

“St. Lucia Tradition in Dalesburg”

            I have put this at the end so that I can now say that we have completed 40 Celebrations of the St. Lucia Tradition in Dalesburg.  We have heard the music and sung the songs, eaten the food, heard the Legend of St. Lucia and pondered the Lucia tradition in our own modern lives.  We have celebrated the Lucia court and heard the Julevangelium – the Christmas Gospel.  We have remembered food and song from the past.   

            We have been doing these things now for 40 – 41 years.  There have been changes, and there have been things that have stayed the same.  People have come.  People have gone.  Children have grown, children have moved on, and children have stayed.  There are people in photographs from years gone by who are no longer with us.  We have girls in the Lucia Court this evening who were not around for the 23rd Lucia in 2000.  

            As you can see at the end of the program… 2017 was not a good year for the membership of Dalesburg Scandinavian Association.  We lost members and friends – old and young.  We lost Joanne, Phyllis, Carol, Alda, Ruth and Jenna.  We also lost Howard Kennedy who was a founder of this organization 40 years ago.  Blessed Be Their Memory and Blessed be the memories they created.  Thanks Be To God.

            Forty-one years ago there was a young woman named Karin Flodell Mann who was involved with the first Lucia event.  Karin was born in Stockholm, Sweden and was living in Vermillion at the time.  Today Karin is living in St. Louis, Missouri.  Interestingly enough.. today there is again a young woman who is born in Stockholm, Sweden,  living in Vermillion.  Her name is Julia Marin Hellwege.  She was not able to be here this afternoon.  I asked her to write a story about herself and her Swedish traditions, and this story is included in the program.

            We close by thanking all who worked and participated in this Lucia event.  We close by thanking all who have worked and participated these forty-some years.  I would like to recognize Lorraine Carlson who has been on the team these forty years.

            And.. thank you all for coming today!  We close as we have closed for forty Lucia celebrations with the song “Nu Är Det Jul Igen” (“Now Is It Christmas Again”)…

God Jul och Gott Nytt Ar!                         Good Yuletid and Good New Year!

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