1. Pick 2 different colored pieces of construction paper as you come in.

2. Map of Sweden Sweden is located in Northern Europe.

3. St. Lucia Christmas in Sweden begins with the Saint Lucia ceremony. Before dawn on the morning of December 13th, the youngest daughter from each family puts on a white robe with a red sash. She wears a crown of evergreens with tall-lighted candles attached to it. She wakes her parents, and serves them with coffee and Lucia buns. The other children accompany her. The boys dressed as star boys in long white shirts and pointed hats. Star Boy

4. Christmas trees are usually brought into Swedish homes one or two days before Christmas. Decorations include: candles, apples, Swedish flags, small gnomes and tasseled caps, and straw ornaments. The house may be filled with red tulips and the smell of pepparkakor - a heart-star, or goat-shaped gingerbread biscuits.

5. Families sometimes have goats made of straw in the house to guard the Christmas Tree! Straw is used as a decoration in homes, to remind them that Jesus was born in a manger.

6. Christmas Tree decorations that are made of straw are also very popular.

7. In the city of Gävle, a huge straw goat is built every year for the start of Advent. It takes two days to put up!

8. Another popular activity that many Swedes do on Christmas Eve afternoon is to watch Donald Duck! Every year, since 1959, at 3:00pm on Christmas Eve, TV stations play the Disney special "Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas." About 40 to 50% of the Swedish population stop to watch it!

9. Swedish Julafton, or Christmas Eve dinner may be a smorgasbord, or buffet with Christmas ham, pickled pigs feet, lutfisk, and many different kinds of sweets. A special rice pudding, has hidden in it an almond which, as tradition has it, the person who finds the almond in his or her bowl will marry in the coming year.

10. Julbock: Christmas Goat Tomte: Gnome The tomte and julbok are responsible for the distributing of the presents.

12. Woven heart