by Elsa, age 8, asks how Christmas lights are wired, about the archipelago, and Sankta Lucia
Dear Santa,
Hej from Stockholm. My name is Elsa and I am 8 years old. Every year on the 13th of December we celebrate Sankta Lucia, and my big sister gets to wear a crown of candles and lead a procession of singing, while I carry a little basket of saffron buns called lussekatter.
My first question is a bit technical: how are Christmas lights wired?
My second question is geography: how many islands make up the Stockholm archipelago?
My third question is from school: why does Sweden celebrate Sankta Lucia in the middle of December?
I left you lussekatter buns and a mug of glogg, the non-alcoholic kind, with almonds in it.
Love, Elsa, age 8, Stockholm, Sweden
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Elsa, the lussekatter were golden and perfect, and the glogg with almonds warmed me right through. Now, to your very good questions.
How are Christmas lights wired?
This is a fun one for an engineer in training. Older style Christmas lights were often wired in what is called a series circuit, meaning all the bulbs are connected one after another along a single loop, which is why if one old bulb burned out, the whole string would go dark, since the electricity had nowhere else to flow. Modern LED lights usually use a parallel circuit instead, where each bulb has its own connection back to the power source, so if one bulb fails, the rest keep shining happily. Many modern strings also use a clever little device called a shunt that keeps electricity flowing even if a single bulb burns out, which is why fewer whole strings go dark these days.
How many islands make up the Stockholm archipelago?
The Stockholm archipelago is enormous, made up of around 30,000 islands, islets, and skerries stretching out into the Baltic Sea. Most are tiny and uninhabited, dotted with summer cottages, pine trees, and quiet coves, and Stockholm itself is built across fourteen of these islands, connected by dozens of bridges.
Why does Sweden celebrate Sankta Lucia in December?
Sankta Lucia Day, on the 13th of December, honours Saint Lucia, who is remembered for bringing light and help to others during dark times, long ago. In Sweden, where December days are extremely short and dark, the festival became a beloved way to bring light and warmth into the darkest part of the year, with candles, white gowns, and songs carried from house to house. It fits beautifully just before Christmas, like a gentle warm-up to the biggest celebration of the season.
Enjoy leading the basket duties, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
