What is St. Lucia’s Day?

My Norwegian ancestors arrived in the Midwest in the 1840s and while we are no longer Norwegian when it comes to other traditions, we continue celebrating St. Lucia’s Day.  – Chapter 2, Christmas Surprise

Jennifer, a character in The Rock Star’s Wife series, celebrates what her roommate calls an obscure holiday.  How common is St. Lucia’s Day and how is it celebrated?

The holiday is celebrated in Sweden, Norway, and Swedish-speaking parts of Finland on Dec. 13.  The day honors St. Lucia, a girl who was martyred in 304 for taking food to Christians who were hiding in Rome.

On the morning of the 13^th, the eldest daughter in the family wears a white dress with a red sash and a crown of candles.  She awakens the family and brings them coffee and pastries.

In some communities, public processions of children are held after dark.  The children parade through town with candles and lanterns while singing songs.  They are led by a girl who has been chosen to represent St. Lucia.

Schools and businesses close early to prepare.

The event marks the beginning of the Christmas season and, because it falls so close to the Winter Solstice, brings light to dark days.

Traditional Holiday Foods

Cookie making must be pretty similar to Lussekatter. – Chapter 7

Traditional foods include ginger snaps, Swedish mulled wine, sweet bread and Lussekatter, a saffron bun.

“The shape you see here is the classic one ‒ the name Lussekatter means ‘Lucia Cats’ which come from the way this shape supposedly looks like a cat’s tail,” Always Use Butter says. “If they’re homemade, they can however come in many different shapes and sizes.”

The buns are made with milk, yeast, butter, saffron and rum.

Click here for a Lussekatter recipe.

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Here’s the 4-1-1

This blog is a companion piece to The Rock Star’s Wife, a series about sex, family, and rock & roll.  The series has elements of chick lit, romance and erotica and is best compared to The Vagina Monologues for its frank talk of sex and its consequences.  The series follows Cassandra from her teenage years into her 40s as she navigates relationships (both romantic and platonic) — all with music playing a prominent roll.

Christmas Surprise features characters from The Rock Star’s Wife series:  Two couples.  One bound for forever.  One living in the moment.  A Christmas they won’t forget.

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