STORY
A new tradition takes place around the darkest day of the year in Denmark. Thousands of canoes, kayaks and standup paddlers meet to light up, sing and celebrate the tradition call Santa Lucia.
Santa Lucia sings about light, hope and joy on some of most dark days of the year.
For the last month has the sun only shined 6 days in Denmark.
Copenhagen is an old harbour for trade with China and the whole world.
Water sports are part of the local tradition.
On the day of Santa Lucia has it lately become a tradition for the canoers to change into very warm clothes, decorate the canoe or kayak and them selves, to get on the water, have fun and get in a good mood.
The trip is 6 km around in the old harbour.
Included are many singing breaks, where the romantic Santa Lucia song is heard from all the individual sailors.
All have light chains with batteries on, that can be seen 360 degrees around.
The sailors could not get enough of light on, to create the right Lucia atmosphere.
The tradition is actually a very old celebration of light and hope.
In the north was it a tradition back in the viking times, to bring light in the dark times.
A young girl was elected to walk around in the village early in the morning and provided food and give hope to the people in the dark.
In some decades was actually her chance to met her future husband.
In year 300 was a lady in Italy seen walking around with candles in her hair, that perhaps was from the North, providing food and help to poor people. She was unfortunately executed, but later made a saint called Saint Lucia.
The traditions was nearly forgotten but returned in 1944 during the big World War 2, where it was dark times in Europe.
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