Wookey crowned light queen
The legend of Santa Lucia, which originated in Sicily, has been recorded in history as early as the year 300.
The legend tells of a young maiden who was engaged to be married to a wealthy nobleman. Against his wishes, she continued to do charitable work for the poor. As she worked in the dark Roman catacombs, legend says she tied candles to her head to light her way. Roman authorities had her arrested, but miraculously, she escaped.
They finally killed her with a poisoned sword. She became known to Christians as a saint for her work with the poor, and for giving her life doing Christ’s work.
The earliest Lucia celebration in Sweden is recorded in 1655 at a school in Stockholm. In the dark winters of Sweden, Lucia is seen as a symbol of the return of light.
In 1952, the Entre Nous Club organized Stanton’s first Santa Lucia program. It was so well received that the club was asked to prepare a similar event for the following year. It became an annual event.
In 1955, the Century Club joined the group effort and the Friendly Study Club did the same in 1957. The entire community of Stanton became host to the event in 1973.
It now involves more than 100 citizens each year working on programs, decorations, costumes, refreshments, voting etc.
To be a candidate for Santa Lucia Queen, a girl must be the eldest daughter living at home, a junior or senior student attending Stanton School. She must rise early on Lucia Day and serve her parents or guardian breakfast in bed. The parent or guardian must call in this information to validate her eligibility. The candidates sing in nursing homes in Stanton, Red Oak and Villisca and also visit shut-ins.
Voting takes place during the day. Every resident of Stanton, school age and above, plus parents of students who are open enrolled, are eligible to vote.
The evening program includes a short play, which ties everything together. This year, the play was based on a book by Wilhelm Moberg, “The Emigrants,” which told the story of a group of people who left Sweden in 1850 in search of a better life in America.
There were the traditional Swedish dances by 5th and 6th graders, songs by elementary students, the men’s chorus, which welcomed “Beautiful May” in the middle of December, and the introduction of special visitors and former queens.
The grand finale is the Lucia tåg (Lucia “train” or “parade”), in which freshmen and sophomore girls holding lanterns form a corridor of light through which the junior and senior girls enter.
The seven girls who have received the most votes from the community ascend to the stage dressed in robes of white. The girl to enter last, walking the lighted corridor, is the “Queen of Light” with a crown of lighted candles.
It is stressed there are no losers in this contest, as every girl who participates is the Santa Lucia, the Queen of Light in her own home.
This year’s court included Ashley Palmquist, Sara Sederburg, Erin DeKay, Carmen Subbert, Macy Elwood and Moriah Kammerer.
The two juldocker (Christmas dolls) were Riley Burke and Lauren Johnson, the Jultomtar (Christmas elves) were Andrew Johnson and Caden Sallach, and the Stjärnpojkar (Star Boys) were Ben Coddington and Cade Confer.
This year’s Santa Lucia Queen of Light was Madison Wookey.
“I’ve always dreamed of being Santa Lucia since I was in first grade and got to be a juldocka,” she said. “It really means a lot because the whole community is involved in the voting.”
Wookey said that the most meaningful part of the whole experience was caroling for the shut-ins and people in the nursing homes.