The oh-so-kind-hearted Lucia

In the parts of Finland where I live we celebrate Lucia. Who's Lucia? Lucia is a Saint who sacrificed herself in the Roman Empire, got her eyes plucked out and stabbed to death as a martyr. Nice thing to celebrate, I know.

But the ways in which it's celebrated is... questionable. Not because I don't think the tradition is lovely, I've grown up with the tradition of Lucia coming in the dark with candles, and I've always loved it.

Each year Finland chooses a young woman to represent Lucia, and she gets her crown of candles and a whole entourage during Lucia Day. Ten women "compete" to become chosen as Lucia. Yeah, yeah, the whole thing is for good, the money is given to those needed and I'm not going to talk about the whole tradition as a whole, but more of the women that strive to become Lucia.

So everyone would know of the candidates for Lucia, they're interviewed and displayed in news papers. This is where my pet peeves come in. People may debate that the whole Lucia tradition is nothing but a beauty contest, and I disagree, the Lucia tradition is a contest of "Who's the most kind-hearted of them all".

In all the interviews the women are telling us how a Lucia should be brave, kind, nice and willing to help (and they display themselves in such light too) and their friends are all "Yeah, you should definetly be Lucia, I know no one as perfect as you in the role *heart eyes*"

The number one trait of Lucia is virtue. Selflessness. Good girl-syndrome.
And this is why I'm frustrated. They are all on display as good and kind women. As perfect young women, who wants nothing but help people.

My grandfather's biggest wish was that either I or my cousin would become Lucia. Neither of us wanted. And for my part, it was because I'm not a too kind of a person. I'm not evil by any records, but I'm not always morally good either. I couldn't ever compete because I don't have the morals required and I doubt all of the girls candidating have them either. Some of them are liars, I'm sure. But whatever to make yourself look kind.