Though California gets a fair amount of daylight (more than Stockholm's six or so hours, anyway), Swedish-Americans observe the celebration for a different reason.

"It's a very good way to show the holiday to the children," Saratoga resident Ingeborg Andersson said. "To keep Swedish traditions alive."

Andersson's three children took part in a Lucia celebration Dec. 13 at the Ikea furniture store in East Palo Alto. Her family moved here two years ago from Sweden.

Her 9-year-old daughter Karolina and 7-year-old son Adam attend the Swedish School in Silicon Valley, where they receive weekly lessons in the language and culture of their homeland.

The Swedish School, whose 6- to 14-year-old students meet one day a week in Los Gatos, teamed up with the Swedish-American business association Silicon Vikings for the Ikea celebration.

It was similar to any other American holiday celebration involving youngsters.

Boys and girls in white robes (tärnor, or maids, and stjärngossar, or "star boys") and a few boys in Santa outfits (tomten) strolled in procession, carrying electric candles, singing traditional Swedish songs and pausing occasionally to stand in front of the group of parents who trailed behind. The performances consisted of equal parts singing and squirming.

At the head was 11-year-old Siri Olsson of San Jose, filling the role of Lucia by wearing the traditional crown of candles.

The procession ended in the darkened Ikea cafeteria, as hundreds of parents, family members and visitors watched the children sing more songs, read a Swedish poem and tell the history of Sankta Lucia, an Italian girl persecuted for her Christian beliefs in the early fifth century. The ceremonies are normally held in the dark morning hours, but the Ikea event was in the evening.

Los Gatos resident Helena McCombie's son Karl, 9, was one of the stjärngossar. McCombie moved from Sweden to America in 1984, and moved back with her family for six years before returning to the United States.

She says the holiday, and the Swedish School, are important in reinforcing the language of her homeland.

"It's my whole upbringing, and I of course bring it into my home," she says.

Ethnic diversity is no stranger to the Bay Area. But diversity among those of European descent is often overlooked. There are a number of organizations and resources aimed at Asian, Latino and Middle Eastern cultures, but the Swedish School and Silicon Vikings are two of few local outlets for Swedes.

Of course, there's Ikea, the Swedish furniture giant that opened its doors to the Lucia crowd this year. Though the business organization and the school have teamed up for Lucia before, this year marked the biggest celebration yet, with more than 300 visitors registered through the Silicon Vikings website. The store provided traditional ginger cookies and glogg, a spiced wine.

As part of the festivities, Ikea is giving Silicon Vikings a monetary donation. Store officials won't say just how much, but Vikings president Olof Westerstahl says the entire amount will be passed along to the Swedish School.

Kjell Olsson, Silicon Vikings chairman and father of this year's Lucia, says the group's relationship with the school is an important one. He says sanctioning other Swedish organizations and events is one of the club's goals.

"Your cultural heritage is important in terms of your identity," he says. "It's an opportunity to transfer our oral traditions to our children."

Roxanna Eghtesad, 9, of Los Gatos says she was a bit embarrassed by all the attention on Lucia, but she enjoys the school.

"I like learning about [Swedish traditions]," she says.

Her mother, Karin Elneborg, says the Swedish School is a welcome addition to the scant Scandinavian culture in the South Bay. She moved here 15 years ago, when her older son was only 2 years old.

"With my first child, there was hardly anything," she says. "No play groups, no schools--nothing."

Now, local Swedish-American children have a place to study the language and learn about the culture of Sweden.

But even without the school, they have a somewhat unique holiday to celebrate once a year.