Christmas Memories
“Christmas at church in Stanton was celebrated alternately at 6:00 a.m. with a Swedish Juloa service one year and a midnight Christmas Eve service the next. Wreaths and candles lit all the dark windows and two tall glimmering Christmas trees shone in front of the sanctuary. Other lights came on as the service progressed. Leaving home in the early morning before doing farm chores was exciting, but the choir always sounded beer at the midnight service!” — Faith Sherman
“Swedish food is what I remember most at Christmas time when I was growing up. My grandmother made Swedish potatis korv (potato bologna), Swedish bruna bönor (brown beans), and all of us made lots of Swedish spritz (shortbread cookies). Much later I heard and learned a lot more about Swedish Christmas tradions through books and music. I’m grateful to my parents for helping me appreciate my Swedish heritage. God Jul!” — Karen Voegtlin
“In the early 1940s and my Mother’s extended family gathered in the Swede Valley Lutheran parsonage near Ogden, IA for Christmas Eve festivities. My brother and I & some young cousins were allowed to stay overnight with our grandparents. Early Christmas morning Grandma woke us up for the Julotta service in the church at 6:00 a.m. The service included the sermon, Bible readings and Christmas hymns. My grandfather was the Pastor and the entire service was conducted in Swedish. Most of the members of the congregation were Swedish immigrants and their families. The service concluded as the sun arose on the beautiful snowy landscape of Iowa farmland. — And my first experience with Santa Lucia was in nursing school. The student nurses had a choir and a student was chosen as Lucia. The cooks in the hospital kitchen made rolls and cookies. After all of the supper trays were returned, the hospital hallways were darkened and then Lucia walked the hallways with candles while the choir sang. — Our family’s favorite Swedish Christmas foods were potatis korv (potato bologna) and risgrynsgröt (rice pudding). — Marilyn Shay