Swedish and Danish Celebrations
This weekend two cities in California are celebrating Christmas in similar ways. The Danes in Solvang and Swedes in Kingsburg celebrate holiday traditions originating from native lands. Kingsburg’s annual Santa Lucia Festival on Dec. 6, 2014 includes a Gingerbread House contest, parade, and the tradition of the oldest girl in the household dressing in a white robe with red sash, wearing a glowing crown of candles as she wakens the family with the Lucia song. In Solvang the Julefest Tree Lighting on Dec. 5 and Parade on Dec. 6 are part of several weeks of celebrations that include a nativity pageant the following week.
So what’s the actual Danish & Swedish populations of these two cities? In Solvang Danes make up less than 20% (1 in 5) of the total population, while Kingsburg’s Swedish people number around 25% (1 in 4).
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