Lussi, Who Rides on the Longest Night
Before Saint Lucy brought light, Scandinavians feared Lussi, a witch who rode with dark spirits on the longest night of the year, punishing those who hadn't finished their work.
What was reported
Under the old calendar, the night of 12 to 13 December was thought to be the longest of the year. In Norwegian and Swedish folklore, it was Lussinatta, when a dangerous female figure, Lussi, rode out with a host of trolls and spirits, the Lussiferda.
Children who had misbehaved might be taken down the chimney. All the Christmas preparations, the slaughtering, baking and brewing, had to be finished, or Lussi would punish the household. People stayed awake through the night, keeping watch.
Explanations offered
Lussi is a dark counterpart of Saint Lucy, whose feast day, 13 December, is now celebrated in Scandinavia with candle-lit processions led by a girl wearing a crown of candles. The older folk figure reflects fear of the dark at midwinter.
- When
- Night of 12–13 December
- Where
- Western Norway
- Witnesses
- Scandinavian folklore
- Status
- Folklore
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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