After A.'s class had a 7 a.m. breakfast together (traditional bread, butter, jam, chocolate, and cheese - bring your own coffee) the kids (and only almost no parents) went off to watch the Saint Lucia procession, a tradition started in Denmark in 1944. Thirty girls wearing white dresses and silver headbands (no red sash) walked in while carrying candles, with two of the girls also wearing a crown of (electric) candles. Sitting in the dark watching and listening to the girls walk in was moving, but it was a little jarring when they switched to, "We wish you a merry Christmas," in English. They sang several more songs, both in English and Danish, before some other kids joined in on the keyboard and drums. On 15/12 the afterschool program will have a similar event and I think that one will involve more sweets.
After A.'s class had a 7 a.m. breakfast together (traditional bread, butter, jam, chocolate, and cheese - bring your own coffee) the kids (and only almost no parents) went off to watch the Saint Lucia procession, a tradition started in Denmark in 1944. Thirty girls wearing white dresses and silver headbands (no red sash) walked in while carrying candles, with two of the girls also wearing a crown of (electric) candles. Sitting in the dark watching and listening to the girls walk in was moving, but it was a little jarring when they switched to, "We wish you a merry Christmas," in English. They sang several more songs, both in English and Danish, before some other kids joined in on the keyboard and drums. On 15/12 the afterschool program will have a similar event and I think that one will involve more sweets.
Yay for St. Lucia! We've celebrated it at our home for the last 3 years. Why do the Saint-Amour Buttenheims (no Swedish ancestry of any kind!) do this? Well, because Claire's American Girl doll is Kirsten, the Swedish one, and *she* celebrates St. Lucia. Also, I *loved* the books "The GOlden Name Day" and "The Little Silver House" as a kid, and *they* celebrate it. Has Robin read those? They're awesome.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we make Swedish buns the night before. I wake the girls up (usually my two plus one or two friends) very early - about 5:45am - and they get their long white nightgowns on. Claire dons the (battery powered) candle crown, and the other girls (in the role of "candle girls") wear silver tinsel crowns and carry candle lanterns. We get the tray ready - buns, candle, evergreens, and "coffee" (it was hot milk this year because the adults wanted to go back to sleep). Then I put a hauntingly beautiful recording of the Santa Lucia carol on the IPod (set to repeat) and the girls carry the tray to all the sleeping grownups in the house (usually Paul and my parents). I cry every time! It's awesome.
That's it!