The Indian River County Historical Society shined a light on the importance of honoring cultural holiday traditions with its annual St. Lucia Celebration and Tree Lighting at the Hallstrom House.

County Historian Ruth Stanbridge provided visitors with tours of the century-old homestead, pointing out the traditional Swedish Christmas decorations scattered about the house. Among them were straw hearts representing love and peace, straw yule goats called Jublock, and gnomes known as tomtes that live in the barn and keep misfortune at bay.

Noting that the sand pine standing sentinel over the day’s festivities was the same type of tree the Hallstroms would have gathered around to celebrate Christmas so many years ago, Stanbridge shared the significance of each of the ornaments Ruth Hallstrom bequeathed to the Historical Society, along with the historic home and its contents.

Guests sampled lingonberry juice and an assortment of authentic Scandinavian treats, including sandbakelser (sand tarts), pepparkakor (ginger cookies), prinsesstarta (princess cake) and the Lussekatter (St. Lucia saffron buns), traditionally served by the eldest daughter on Dec. 13, St. Lucia Day.

Wearing a wreath of lingonberry branches with seven lighted candles upon her head, the eldest daughter of the family welcomes St. Lucia Day in Sweden by bringing hot coffee and sweet buns to her parents, joined by her siblings dressed as star boys, handmaidens and gingerbread men.

“Sweden is such a dark place at this time of year and this ceremony is a beacon of hope; a way to spread love, hope and light,” said Maddie McCain, who has participated her entire life. “I do it because it keeps me connected to my heritage. It represents Christmas to me.”

Carolyn Bayless, IRCHS board president, thanked guests for partaking of their annual Swedish celebration and, as she lit the Hallstrom House Christmas tree, proclaimed, “It’s officially Christmas in Vero Beach.”

Bayless also announced that the Hallstrom House will celebrate its 100th birthday next year, adding, “We’re going to have some special events with special things on display that we normally don’t have out.”

For more information, visit irchistorical.org.