By Daily Press staff
A slice of Sweden is coming to Los Angeles for the holidays with the Swedish Women’s Educational Association’s 25th annual Christmas Fair.
The event will take place on Sunday, Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hollywood Palladium at 6215 Sunset Blvd. The fair will feature Swedish food, original handicrafts, a raffle and cultural performances. You will be able to enjoy singing and dancing around the Christmas tree, feast on open faced sandwiches and many other delicacies.
In the Swedish tradition Lucia — the queen of light — comes in December, the darkest winter month, bringing the promise of light and the upcoming Christmas holiday. Early in the morning on Dec. 13, Lucia and her maidens — dressed in white, carrying candles and singing traditional songs — appear in homes, offices and schools all through Sweden. That tradition will be re-enacted in pageants taking place at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Dec. 5. Actress Ann Margaret will be on hand to crown Lucia at noon.
In addition to the Lucia pageant’s performances, Swedish Folk-dancers will perform their traditional dances.
The top raffle prize at the fair is a round-trip ticket from Los Angeles to a city in Scandinavia with three nights at a hotel in Denmark, Norway or Sweden donated by Scantours. Other prizes include two round trips on JetBlue from California to anywhere in the United States and cruises to Mexico from Hästens Beds for Life.
The SWEA is a non-profit organization that has 27 chapters throughout North America. The Los Angeles chapter held its first Christmas Fair at the Pacific Design Center in 1978, then moved to the Palladium 10 years ago.
More information about SWEA is available at www.swea.org. Questions about the fair, or the organization can be sent to Elementary students host a worldly celebration
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 1, 2004. Read the original PDF.