Happy St. Lucia Day!

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Today, we celebrate Saint Lucy's Day, though our preparations actually began last week. Yesterday, we baked two different Swedish breads, altering the ingredients to suit our diets. One is a Santa Lucia Crown. And the other is the saffron buns which were served by the girls this morning. We also cut out the cute Swedish paper dolls that Jenn at Our Little Nature Nest blogged about here, in addition to making our crowns.

We lit our candles in anticipation and Tony sang the original version of "Santa Lucia" in Italian.

"While you have the light, believe in the light,

that you may become sons of light."

~ St. John the Apostle

The girls changed into their white cotton gowns to go to sleep and cradled the plate of Lussekatter before excitedly heading upstairs to sleep. In the morning, they woke "before us" (wink...wink) and came downstairs to find their needle felted crowns, the plate of buns (shrink wrap removed), and a cup of warm coffee for Momma. They headed upstairs with huge smiles on their bright faces!

I am amazed at what fun they had celebrating their first St. Lucia holiday. Next year, we are hoping to learn one of the songs to be serenaded and maybe they will be ready to actually make Mommy's coffee themselves :D

Now, we enjoy our Saffron bread and celebrate the light and the hope and care of our fellow man on this longest night of the year.

When on this earth she walked,

Bravely confessing,

All to the poor she gave,

All felt her blessing.

Ever her legend grew,

Spanning each ocean.

Light of the longest night,

Maid of devotion.

~ Santa Lucia verse from the wonderful book, "Lucia, Child of Light"