Lucia Day was Sunday

We stayed up late Saturday making dough for our Swedish rolls (kanelbullar) which we shared with neighbors for the occasion. Our two oldest are feeling less inclined to don the luciakladder (Lucia clothes) these days, and since we don't live in Sweden any more-where 18 year old boys happily put on the white star boy gown or dress up like a pepparkokker boyken (gingerbread boy) it is kind of hard to use peer pressure to encourage them. But our 4 others were happy to tromp through the wet falling snow to deliver goodies to neighbors who we already can call friends.

The Lucia Days we spent in Stockholm were full of wonder for me. Every window glowed with Christmas candle light. Children sang beautiful songs beckoning light into the dark winter days. The smells of the Christmas food-some foreign and pungently strong and some sweet and wafting-was other-worldly for me. I loved the experience then.

And so I perpetuate it now for my own. Not in the ways the Swedes showed it to me, but in a way that brings a taste of this wonderful culture to our family. Thank heaven John has Swedish in his heritage-it gives me further excuse to continue this small piece of the traditions we enjoyed so many winters ago In Stockholm.