The Swedish American Heritage Society of West Michigan was founded to preserve, foster and perpetuate traditional customs and culture of our Swedish heritage, as well as that of other Scandinavians.
If you are of Swedish heritage, or the spouse of same… or if you simply have a sincere interest in Swedish or Scandinavian heritage, you are invited to join us!
Make a donation to SAHS!
Note: PayPal accepts all major credit cards, debit cards, money from a PayPal balance, and PayPal Credit. You can also send a check to us at 29 Pearl St. NW, Suite 127, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. SAHS is a 501(c)3 organization, so your donations are tax deductible.
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Annual Lucia Celebration
10 AM
We invite you to come and enjoy this lovely Swedish introduction to the Christmas season and listen to the Lucia choir sing in a beautiful setting. It will once again be held in the beautiful sanctuary of Mayflower Congregational Church. There will be plenty of free parking. There will be baked goods and coffee to enjoy afterwards plus a Julmarknad sale! Bring cash if you are interested in purchasing any items.
Visit the Upcoming Events page for more info and how to register.
Once again, SAHS is sponsoring our annual Lucia scholarship competition. The Doris & Clarence Anderson Memorial Scholarship is in memory of two of our organization’s founding members. Doris and Clarence were involved in almost every activity that our organization undertook. Doris was an especially integral part in our annual Lucia celebration. Among Doris’ many achievements was her selection many years ago as Chicago’s first Lucia.
The Scholarship Committee will award $500 each to a high school senior girl and senior boy who have been participants in our local Lucia pageant. Additionally, each applicant must be either the child or grandchild of a member of SAHS/WM. Applications can be downloaded here (PDF) and are due Dec. 5. We look forward to announcing the winners of this annual competition in December.
Swedish Reading Club: When the Cranes Fly South (Tranorna flyger söderut) by Lisa Ridzén
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
A profoundly moving debut novel that follows an elderly man’s attempts to mend his relationship with his son before it’s too late: an emotional story of love, friendship, fatherhood, dogs, and atonement that is already an international sensation.
“A tender tale about aging, our own and others’, and the quiet brutality of love. About what being a man is, and what being a human is, about fathers and sons and fathers and dogs. It’s really a book for anyone who’s had to say goodbye. The kind of book you give to someone when you’re really trying to say ‘I’ve been thinking about you’ but don’t know how.”
—Fredrik Backman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove
Visit the Upcoming Events page for more info and how to join.