What are the boys called who wear pointed hats in Swedish Lucia processions?

The boys who wear pointed hats in Swedish Lucia processions are called stjärngossar.

The Swedish word stjärngosse literally means “star boy.” Stjärngossar traditionally wear white robes and tall, cone-shaped hats decorated with stars. They may also carry stars or hold candles while singing in the procession.

Their role is not simply a modern costume choice. The figures are linked to older Christmas and Epiphany processions in which boys portrayed the biblical Magi, or Three Wise Men. Some traditions also connected the singers with Saint Stephen, whose story appears in the song “Staffan Stalledräng,” commonly performed by stjärngossar.

A common mix-up is confusing stjärngossar with tärnor. Tärnor are Lucia’s female attendants, while stjärngossar are the star boys. Modern school processions may also include tomtenissar and pepparkaksgubbar, but those are separate characters.