When I heard about the Lucia Bride as a kid, I had no idea it had anything to do with Saint Lucy. My mother\’s version of the story was that the oldest daughter of the household would serve the other family members breakfast in bed, while wearing a crown of burning candles. She said she wondered how many girls were unfortunate enough to set themselves on fire.

Nowadays I\’m sure the Lucia Bride wears a battery-powered wreath. It\’s a lot safer than candle flames, but I think that real candles would be prettier.

The Swedish Christmas season also includes Tomte. To be honest, I think a cheerful-looking gnome is a nice change from the Santa Claus that we\’ve become accustomed to in the USA.

I like what it says here about non-flashy Christmas decorations. There\’s nothing wrong with toning it down. I\’ve seen houses with displays of lights that make have me shuddering at the thought of the power bill that will result. Has anyone ever tried to power such a show with bicycle power?

Christmas Eve as the day for opening the presents seems quite common in European countries. Wrapped with a rhyme? My mother would have enjoyed that, I bet.

Watching Donald Duck? H\’mm. I prefer the one about the Grinch. Long ago, when it was still possible to catch the program on regular TV, we\’d watch it every year. As I grew older, I would watch it just to see the moment when the Grinch gets his \”wonderful, awful idea\”.

Throwing the Tree out of the window at the end of the Christmas season? Well, the Grinch stuffed one up the chimney, so I guess getting one through a window isn\’t such a tight fit!