13 December är julens början. För svenskar i USA kombinerar många av oss traditionell jul och amerikansk kul. Jag har haft mitt träd sedan mitten av November, men har fyllt mitt hem med sevärdheter och dofter av säsongen från det gamla landet. Vi är de som kör tre timmar bara för en bit mandelkaka. 'Tis the season to make buns.... Fa la la la la la la la la Buttery Saffron, Cardamom, and Cloves waft from the kitchen warm our chilly morning. Dancers and bazaars and candles... Fa la la la la la la la la The House of Sweden The Order honouring St. Lucy with dance and shows. Wax Covered Hair and Child-like anticipation... Fa La La La La La La La La
The Procession, Songs, and Readings share memories with a piece of my soul. And Now for our Know-It-All Segment: "Just so you know...." Sweden, all of Scandinavia, really, is overwhelmingly Lutheran and St. Lucia is one of the only Saints celebrated. The celebrations through the North Countries meld traditional religion (pre-Christian/Viking) and Christianity, with many symbols now revolving around the Trinity. The Lucia we revere nowadays is of Sicily, but there are legends of a candle wearing, Viking do-gooder, Lussi. As the story goes, Lucy converted to Christianity once an angel visited her at a shrine, where Lucy was seeking help for her widowed mother and the medical conditions plaguing her family. As any story regarding Rome in the middle ages, Lucy was martyred for refusing to compromise her virginity. As for the candles on the head, dripping hot wax onto the hair, only to be painstakingly picked out that night? Rumor has it Lucy was hiding Christians in the catacombs to keep them safe from the Roman soldiers. She fashioned the candle crown simply to light the way and keep her hands free, bringing everyone goodness and light. Comments are closed.
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