December is a “big deal” in Sweden and Finland not only because of Christmas, but because Saint Lucia’s Day is on Dec.13. Starting in kindergarten and continuing all throughout high school, on this day one lucky girl is selected to be “Saint Lucia”. For many girls, this is a big deal, though I personally really fear being picked and much prefer being one of Lucia’s handmaids(侍女).

It is not certain how the Saint Lucia tradition found its way to Sweden, and then also to Finland. The legend of Saint Lucia is known in most European countries, and has its roots in Italy. It is thought that during a time when the rulers of the land did not approve of Christianity(基督教), a woman named Lucia decided to try and spread the word of God and help the poor. Lucia was put on trial, and when she refused to give up her belief, she was sentenced to being burned. But when the guards tried to light the fire, it would not light. Unfortunately, this did not save Lucia, who at last was killed by a knife.

No one knows exactly how this legend has changed into the unique Swedish tradition today, but there are certainly some factors that can be recognized. Saint Lucia, a girl dressed in a long white dress with a crown of candles in her hair, brings light and good spirit to everybody, lightening up the cold December weather.

Both in Sweden and Finland, Saint Lucia is a nationally celebrated tradition. The people of the city or town can then vote for their favorite girl out of several candidates, and the winner is crowned on December 13th together with her entourage (随从). This year, 18-year-old high school student Elin Anderson was crowned Lucia, and following her coronation (加冕礼) she will appear at around 80 different events over the next month in her role as “a bringer of light”.

Many of us were lucky enough to have some degree of choice over what we eat. But are the decisions we make as free as we think? What if there is something other than our own hunger that influences what we eat? Look through social media sites and you will see picture after picture of perfectly presented and extremely delicious-looking meals. While the smell and taste of food can have a powerful effect on our appetite, are endless posts of steaming snacks and inviting dishes more than just a feast for our eyes?

Certainly, it appears we’re hugely influenced by other people——especially those closest to us——when it comes to what we eat. Our eating habits are also influenced by what we see. “There is some evidence that if you see pictures of food, that visual stimulation can make you feel a desire to eat, ” says a UK scientist.

But social media is one place where social and visual aspects meet. There is evidence that if friends in your social network post regularly about particular types of food, it could lead you to copy them. If all your friends on social media are posting pictures of themselves consuming fast food, it’s going to cause you to form a false belief that eating fast food is what all people do.

Research suggests photos of fast food are more likely to make us feel good. Humans tend to, naturally, seek out high-calorie food——an ability that helped our ancestors survive when they hunted for food. In comparison, healthier foods are often seen as boring. Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned about food-related content on social media which is making us thinking differently about food. Social media algorithms (算法) promote content that users respond more, so viewing more unhealthy food means seeing even more of it on our social media.