St. Lucia's Day

For centuries the traditional observance of St. Lucia's Day on December 13 marked the start of the Christmas celebration in Scandinavia, as it does today in many Swedish-American homes. Legend has it that once during a great famine in Sweden, Saint Lucia miraculously appeared, her head circled in light, to deliver food.

On this morning, Swedish children awakened early and dressed in long white gowns. The girls wear long red sashes and the boys wear white cone-shaped hats with gold stars. Wearing a wreath of lighted candles on her head, the eldest daughter-as Saint Lucia-leads her brothers and sisters in a procession into their parents' darkened bedroom to deliver a surprise breakfast of such Scandinavian specialties as saffranbrod (sweet saffron buns), pepparkakor (gingersnaps), and cups of hot, steaming coffee.

Observing St. Lucia's Day is a wonderful way for children to make a contribution to the family's Christmas traditions with this gift of thoughtfulness to their parents.

Although in the beginning (especially with young children) you may need to assist them-such as preparing the breakfast buns ahead of time (or even carrying the tray upstairs and then returning to bed)-it is well worth the effort. If you would like to introduce this charming custom to your family, a lovely story that does so delightfully is 'Kirsten's Surprise' from The American Girls Collection.

Now that she has aroused your interest, dear Reader, Mrs. Sharp would like to stress that no daughter of hers ever walked around our house wearing a wreath of lighted candles. Instead, she created crowns of greenery and red ribbons for them to wear at a candlelit breakfast.

Mrs. Sharp has discovered there is no more enriching way to teach children tolerance than by incorporating different ethnic traditions into our family's holiday repertoire. Baking a trip around the world with festive Christmas foods from other countries or serving parents a St. Lucia's Day breakfast can help children understand the true spirit of this season while strengthening bonds and creating memories.

from 'Mrs. Sharp's Traditions' pg. 236