Church Potluck: A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity
A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity! Church Potluck serves up thoughtful, friendly, informal conversation at the intersection of Christianity and contemporary culture. Just like a church potluck, we offer variety: a variety of topics, a variety of academic disciplines, and a variety of Christian traditions. Guests are friends and colleagues who are also experts in the fields of sociology, political science, theology, philosophy, divinity, and more.
Church Potluck: A Smorgasbord of Christian Curiosity
ADVENT DAY 15: St. Lucy's Day
In this warm and quietly fascinating Advent conversation, Julianne Bailey introduces listeners to St. Lucy’s (St. Lucia’s) Day, a beautiful Scandinavian tradition centered on light in the darkness. Drawing on her Swedish family heritage, Julianne explains how December 13 is marked by candles, white garments, wreaths, and special sweet bread—customs shaped by both early Christian martyr stories and the deep winter darkness of northern Europe.
Julianne’s reflections are personal, thoughtful, and gently humorous as she traces how these traditions were passed down, adapted, and sometimes softened across generations. Along the way, she highlights how St. Lucy’s Day offers a meaningful Advent image: light carried carefully, shared humbly, and offered in service to others rather than wrapped in commercial excess.
This episode is perfect for listeners who love learning about lesser-known Christmas traditions, enjoy cultural storytelling, or are looking for Advent practices that feel ancient, grounded, and quietly profound.
The views expressed on Church Potluck are solely those of the participants and do not represent any organization.
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