St Lucia Day 2013

Ever have one of those days when nothing goes right?  A day something like the one described in the 1970s children's classic Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day? What about a holiday?

Since the year Charlotte was a baby (2009) we have been celebrating St Lucia Day.  It is a Scandinavian Christmas holiday, celebrating an Italian saint who helped early Christians by bringing them supplies while they hid in the catacombs.  Since her hands were full carrying food and whatnot, she used the ancient equivalent of a head lamp--a wreath (or garland) with candles.   Prettier, isn't it?  As it turns out, 'Lucia' translates to 'light' in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish.  When Scandinavian sailors found out that her birthday was on the winter solstice, they quickly adopted her as a favorite. (Before changing from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, December 13th was the Winter Solstice).

Though my family is Norwegian, we never celebrated St Lucia Day when I was a kid.  Our tradition started off when Nova was five and had recently become the middle kid.  I was looking for a way to do something special with just her and remembered reading about the holiday in the American Girl book, Kirsten's Surprise.  It was lots of fun getting it all ready in secret.  My mother made the nightgown/dress, and we made the crown and saffron buns.  Solomon and Charles were completely surprised.

Other years have had their ups and downs.  Some years we have made Cardamom cake (since it turns out not everyone in our family likes saffron).   We have had crowns made of grocery store flowers, and ones made of felt.  Charlotte has gotten in on the action.

Heading up to wake up Dad in 2012

Charles says this is one of his favorite holiday traditions because it always catches him off guard.  He was very happy to be surprised.  

This year it was a total fiasco!  I decided to sew the St Lucia dresses/nightgowns--and promptly lost the foot control for my sewing machine!  I have looked for hours.  It is still missing.  We were able to sew Solomon's pajamas at my parents' (thank you Mom and Dad). Then Charlotte announced that she did not want to do St Lucia Day.  "It is too much work." She said.  "I want them [Solomon and Dad] to wake me up and bring me breakfast."  I checked out Kirsten's Surprise from the library to help inspire Charlotte.  We lost the book after chapter two.  No one was interested in getting wreath materials with me.  I could not find the nightgowns and felt wreaths from last year, so I pushed the holiday out one day, hoping to find them (and so it could fall on the weekend).  The grocery store did not carry cardamom.  I adapted and made cookies instead.  They were completely flat (though tasty).   Solomon woke up earlier than the rest of us (5:00 am) and Charles scheduled a business phone call, even though I'd told him we were getting a Christmas tree that morning in order to save the date.

Seriously thinking about throwing in the towel, I woke Nova at 5:30.  We had just gotten to the kitchen when Ariadne woke up, clingy and tired.  When Aria threw up all over me ten minutes later, Nova said "Mom, you can go back to bed, I'll do the rest."  I was so happy!

Hearing the clinking and clanging from downstairs Charles finally guessed what was going on.  We waited in the dark in happy anticipation talking about how big our Nova had gotten.  When we woke Charlotte she cried--turns out she wanted to be in on the preparations after all.  Hiding under the table with her cookies, she got an unexpected shower when Ariadne spilled (luke-warm) hot chocolate.   It came down through the table leaves onto Charlotte's head.  What made it worse was that it was Charlotte's own hot chocolate that had been spilled.  Thankfully, Solomon was kind enough to give her the rest of his.

Though there we no costumes, the food was anything but traditional, and some of us were already up, it turns out continuing the tradition was worth it.  Ten minutes into breakfast, everyone was having a good time, enjoying a special morning.  Twenty minutes later the kids were having a ball all running around screaming playing some sort of  cookie monster game. It all left me feeling that perseverance good humor, and generosity (than you big kids) can save any fiasco.  Happy St Lucia Day!