The criticism against Lucia has been about the fact that the traditional celebration is similar to a beauty contest and seems exclusive. The debate cuts through issues such as gender, race and class.

In 2011, male Lucians were stopped at a school in Lund. In 2012, the event Sweden's Lucia ended and in 2016 a dark-skinned boy in Lucia clothes received several racist comments on Facebook. Some schools now choose not to have Lucia celebrations as everyone cannot afford Lucia clothes.

More and more municipalities are choosing not to organize official Lucia trains due to lack of candidates. Most recently, Lions in Piteå announced that they are canceling their Lucia train. Tora Wall is a folklorist and expert on stories, stories and traditions. She thinks there is a fear of change.

- Many people believe that traditions are static and claim that a Swedish culture is threatened for political purposes. But as a folklorist, I see that there is no basis in it. Rather, it is about Lucia not being relevant in the same way, says Tora Wall.

New traditions

How we celebrate Lucia today is different from how we celebrated 50 years ago. Today we sing other songs and dress up for other characters than the traditional ones.

-I don't think Lucia will disappear, but change. When I was at Lucia celebrating quite recently there were at least two Olof from the movie Frost. In the past, we could see bakers and sweets, but that is rarely seen nowadays, says Tora Wall.

In earlier traditions people celebrated outdoors. Today, Lucia is mainly celebrated at institutions, schools, preschools and choirs. Tora Wall believes that Lucia still plays an important role for people.

-All traditions are about it being an atmospheric ritual. It is also a break in everyday life and an introduction to Christmas.

Always been a divisive holiday

Our modern Lucia celebration was established around the turn of the century in 1900. Then, in a national-romantic spirit, they wanted to preserve traditions from the old peasant society that they saw disappear with industrialization.

-Lucia has always been a divided tradition. The Lucia tradition established in the 18th century has nothing to do with the saint. It is borrowed from Germany. Today's lofty tradition is also unbroken, for example, there were male lucians at the end of the 19th century, says Tora Wall and continues:

- During National Romanticism, traditions of the peasant society were changed to make them a little more beautiful, more lofty and acidic.

Then the blonde Lucia ideal also emerged.

- Traditions were used in different ways to lift the nation. Part of it was the ideal image of the lovely Nordic woman with blond hair, like John Bauer's princesses: chic and beautiful. The beauty ideal of the time is reflected in the Lucia celebration, says Tora Wall.