Swedish-Canadian Chamber of Commerce | Lucia 2022: A Celebration of Light

Lucia – A Celebration of Light.

Annual Lucia Luncheon, Friday, December 9, 2022
Glögg reception 11:00 A.M. I Lucia Luncheon 12:00 – 3:00 P.M.
Chelsea Hotel - 33 Gerrard St W, Toronto

After two years of virtualized events, we are resuming our traditional live-in person Lucia Luncheon. We do have a limited number of seats, so make your reservations today!”

This cultural event is an opportunity to give your employees, colleagues, clients, friends and family a unique experience filled with entertainment and a tasty & authentic Swedish Julbord – Buffet. Join us in celebrating one of the foremost cultural traditions in Sweden and a highlight of the Holiday season. Learn more about Lucia and its origin here.

The Lucia tradition is integral to Swedish culture and celebrated far beyond Sweden’s borders. Immensely atmospheric, this 400-year-old custom brings peaceful joy each year on 13 December – But it is not only in Sweden that the Lucia celebration is popular Lucia – it’s a tradition on export, and it’s spreading across the world! Link to https://si.se/lucia-firas-langt-utanfor-sveriges-granser/

Book your tickets today!

Location

The Chelsea Hotel

This year’s celebration will be at the beautiful Chelsea Hotel at 33 Gerrard St W, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z4. The Chelsea Hotel, Toronto, provides comfort in the heart of downtown Toronto and guests are within walking distance of prime retail districts, colourful local neighbourhoods and major tourist attractions.

Chelsea Hotel offers a special “Lucia” room rate of $139 plus tax to all our guests who want to stay the night or the weekend.

Guests can call the hotel directly at 416-595-1975 or 800-243-5732 and ask to book a room on the Lucia Luncheon Room Block. Click here

The special rate and booking link are available until Friday, December 2, 2022.

Event Details

Click on the titles in the list for details.

Corporate packages for SCCC Lucia luncheon

This cultural event is an opportunity to give your employees, colleagues, clients, friends and family a unique experience filled with entertainment and a tasty & authentic Swedish Julbord – Christmas Buffet. Join us in celebrating one of the foremost cultural traditions in Sweden and a highlight of the Holiday season. Learn more about Lucia and its origin here.

Our Lucia luncheon and raffle raise important funds for the Chamber’s ongoing activities to promote business and culture between Sweden and Canada.

Buying a Corporate package will provide the following:

Participation tickets to our live event. Each ticket gives you a chance to win an amazing door prize.

Seats at our Lucia luncheon and all the festivities
Company recognition before, during and after the event with Social media mentions, in our advertisements, banner streamers and via our MC during the event and in our event follow-up communications.
An opportunity to include a polling question presented by your company. We are looking for “lighter” content, i.e. not the % EBITDA of last quarter, but perhaps an interesting sustainability initiative result or new product that is of general interest.
A pre ca 30 sec pre-recorded corporate message.

As we are not only reaching our ‘local’ Swedish-Canadian community but our growing global network, the recognition your company will receive will reach far and wide.

Program

11:00 A.M. Glögg reception and mingle
12:00 P.M. Welcome and Opening remarks by SCCC’s Chairman Lennart Kleine
12:15 P.M. MC Brian G. Smith opens the Julbord (Christmas Buffet)
1:30 P.M. Lucia Procession by Toronto’s Children’s Lucia Choir, led by Emma Eriksson
2:00 P.M. Raffle and Coffee
3:00 P.M. Close

Snaps Songs

In case you want to practise…

Helan Går

(Swedish Version)

Helan går Sjung hopp fadderallan, lallanlej

Helan går Sjung Hop faderallan, lallanlej

Och den som inte Helan tar Han ej heller inte Halvan får

Helan går Sjung hopp faderallan, lallanlej

(English translation)

The whole goes Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la la la” The whole goes Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la” And the one who doesn’t take the whole Doesn’t get the half either The whole goes

[Drink]

Sing “hup fol-de-rol la la”

English phonetic version

Hell and Gore Chung Hop Father Allan, Lal and Lei

And then Zoom in Tee Hell and Tar Hand Hell Air in Tee Hull One Fore

Hell and Gore Chung Hop Father Allan, Lal and Lei

Nu tar vi den!

(Tune of Oh, Tannenbaum)

Nu tar vi den, nu tar vi den, nu tar vi den, nu tar vi den. Nu tar vi den, nu tar vi den, nu tar vi den, nu tar vi den. Nu tar vi den, nu tar vi den, nu tar vi den (Now- drink all what’s in your glass!) Nu tog vi den!

Tänk om jag hade lilla nubben

Tänk om jag hade lilla nubben på ett snöre i halsen! Tänk om jag hade lilla nubben på ett snöre i halsen. Jag skulle dra den upp och ner, så att den kändes som många fler. Tänk om jag hade lilla nubben på ett snöre i halsen.

Köpa byxor

Swedish text

Att köpa byxor ,en prövning för många, De sitter sällan så bra som de ska. De om är för långa för korta för trånga, Men en schnapps sitter jämt lika bra.

English text

Buying pants, is a test for many, They’re rarely as good as they should. They are either too long, too short or too tight, But a schnapps fits always… just right!

The Lucia Tradition

The Lucia tradition, is celebrated on December 13 every year. Lucia is the bearer of light in the dark Swedish, and now in our case, also Canadian winters.

With a crown of candles on her head Lucia leads a procession consisting of girls and boys in white full-length gowns holding a lit candle in their hands while singing traditional songs bringing light and joy to the world.

Learn more about Lucia and its origin here:
https://sweden.se/collection/celebrating-the-swedish-way/article/lucia/

The Julbord Tradition

The Julbord (Christmas Buffet) is one of the most classic elements of Swedish-ness! Depending where you live in Sweden, the dishes can vary. Traditionally, food is served in rounds or courses:

1. Fish dishes: focusing on pickled herring (sill)
2. Gravlax, poached salmon, shrimp salad, cod roe eggs, cheese, crisp bread
3. Cured meats (including the fabled Christmas ham), more bread, and probably some pâté
4. Warm dishes, with meatballs, sausage (prinskorv), a potato and cream casserole (Janssons frestelse), and sometimes bread dipped in pork broth (dopp i grytan)

After that, it’s dessert and/or cheese with crackers, finished off with some coffee and perhaps a few sweets and assorted cakes. If you would like to prepare your own Swedish Julbord – Christmas Buffet, you will find all the best recipes here

Contact

For any questions or concerns, please reach out to us via [email protected] 416 925 8661

Brian G. Smith

Brian G. Smith is an Arts Educator, Filmmaker and Honorary Swede, after serving 23 years as SCCC Lucia MC. An award-winning alumnus of Toronto’s The Second City, Brian applies comedy to all aspects of his life. Several times, this has worked out in his best interest. Brian is a Grad student at York University. At York, he is working on his thesis in ‘Micro-Budget, Community Digital Arts.’ Brian is also the Creative Director of Annex Improv, a Laugh Therapy program that is celebrating its 10th year at the Centre for Social Innovation in downtown Toronto.

YouAndMedia.ca A creative production company specializing in comedy

AnnexImprov.com SPEAK WELL, LISTEN BETTER.

For Lucia Ambiance...

Watch this video by Jonna Jinton. Lucia is a tradition in Sweden where we bring light to the darkness. Since many years back I have always gone out in the middle of the Lucia night to light up hundreds of candles in the forest, with the intention to spread light into the world.