St. Lucia Day Remembrances

Outside it was dark and chilly, as I watched my little daughter, Mary, bringing up the rear of the procession and swinging her basket, trying to keep up with all the other young girls following behind the "Lucia Bride".

My daughter was only two and a half, and I'll never forget that December night twenty-three years ago, as our church first attempted what has now become tradition: our Annual St. Lucia Procession.

Two-and-a-half year old Mary,
 in her little white dress and red sash.

By the time Mary was about seven or eight, American Girl Dolls and their books were becoming more and more popular, and my daughter loved all the stories.  Of course, her favorite was about Kirsten, the Swedish girl.  Mary could hardly wait to be St. Lucia and wear a crown, like her Kirsten doll.

And the day finally came. Mary was beaming, as she took her turn portraying St. Lucia, wearing the crown of candles and leading the procession of girls in white around the church, with the choir singing in the background; she was fourteen.

Happy St. Lucia Day! I hope you make it a family tradition to celebrate - I found a tutorial for a cute paper Lucia crown (here), and you can make some Lussekatter and read St. Lucia's story...

Do you have a daughter who is interested in knowing why girls wear white dresses with red sashes, balance a crown of candles on their heads, and carry a platter of saffron buns on December 13th? And who exactly was this saintly Italian girl named Lucia, whose story the Scandinavians adopted? 

Katherine Bolger Hyde has done a wonderful job explaining the customs and the history behind St. Lucia Day, in her beautiful book, Lucia Saint of Light, illustrated by Daria Fisher.

St. Lucia Day can't be celebrated properly without "Lussekatter" - Swedish Saffron Buns! (There's a recipe at the end of Katherine Hyde's book.)  My daughter always helped me make them, and her Kirsten Doll even came with a tiny tray of mini Lussekatter. Today I'll be baking a batch with my three little goddaughters for our Church celebration this weekend.

Click here to see all the variations - St. Lucia buns can be made
in different designs.  One year we made a Lucia braided bread crown.
[Source: Mylittlenorway.com]

Back to the picture book...it follows two parallel stories: of a modern-day girl named Lucy, and the 4th-Century saint named Lucia.  The tales are interwoven as Lucy prepares to celebrate her "nameday".  Her mother explains to her the origins of the story of St. Lucia, the background behind the traditions of her celebration, and her association with Sweden.  At the end of the book, you'll find the "Santa Lucia" song (with words and music), her icon, verses from her Feastday Aposticha, and a recipe for St. Lucia Buns.

Detailed illustrations from the book.

Where to find the book: Go here, to Ancient Faith Publishing.  Scroll down and you'll see that Lucia, Saint of Light is also now available as an engaging 10-minute video! ($4.99). You can also look on Amazon, if the book is sold out on AFP.

Click HERE for more information about how to order the book and very well done video. Below is a short clip...

This is a blog hop, click HERE
to read other fun posts...

Thanks for letting me share some of our family memories and traditions with you on this special day, honoring a special girl.  And thank you to Heather, at Audrey Eclectic, for hosting this fun "blog procession" for St. Lucia Day 2012.

SWEET FOR THE SUITE: An Award-Winning Canadian Nutcracker Story Inspired by Bears!

A SUITE Story:
Woodland Nutcracker (text adaptation by Avril Tyrrell; illustrated by Avril's daughter, Frances Tyrrell) was chosen as The Children's Picture Book of the year in 1999 by the Canadian Book Review Annual.  In her blog, Frances says, "The story was inspired by many camping trips and cottage visits in Canada's boreal forest, 'far away from highways and city lights', where one can travel for days and not meet another human being or even a camera-shy bear".

YukTuk the Polar bear, dancing to strains
of the Russian Dance - and holding a copy
of Woodland Nutcracker! [poster by Frances Tyrrell,
used with permission of the illustrator.]

"Long ago, far away from highways and city lights, where bright stars touched the tree tops and forest roots touched the edges of frozen lakes, a woodland family welcomed relatives and friends
to a Christmas Eve party in their cozy island home.
Softly falling snowflakes drifted into the cottage as the guests arrived..."

This story parallels The Nutcracker Suite Ballet: Clara is given a wonderful carved Nutcracker Bear who transforms into the dashing Nutcracker Prince.

Grandfather Bear and Clara, holding her Nutcracker Bear.

After settling a midnight battle between tin soldiers and invading field mice with a Christmas Eve truce, and giving the hungry mice food for their families, Clara and Nutcracker fly away to the Ice Palace of the Great Bear, Ursa Major.

In 2002, this particular illustration spanned over an outdoor entrance to
 a mall in Toronto, greeting shoppers and passersby!  Woodland Nutcracker
bears were also re-created as life-size figures, positioned at store entries.

At the Great Bear's palace an international cast of bears performs for Clara - juggling pandas and trapeze artist koalas and more, plus some of her dearest woodland friends. 

Mother Ginger with her junior hockey team.

I just ordered this book - so happy it's not out of print - HERE, from Frances Tyrrell's website, Treasure Seeker Studio, which also links to her lovely blog, "Fairy Lanterns", and Etsy shop.

Don't miss this book: Grandmother's Tree, also illustrated by Frances and written by her mother, Avril Tyrrell (found here, at francestyrrell.com).

A SWEET Recipe:

Source: Two Peas and their Pod

How about a little sweet, while you read about The Woodland Nutcracker (or listen to The Nutcracker Suite)?  From my Advent & Christmastide Pinterest Board: White Chocolate Peppermint M&M Cookies!











A COUPLE OF EXTRA SWEET SUITES:
Right-click HERE to see my posts on these other Nutcracker books.

"Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite"
by Anna Harwell Celenza

Susan Jeffers' "The Nutcracker"

Jolly Old St. Nick - He's Everywhere!

Come on in, you'll see what I mean...

Here he is in beautiful vinage ornament made by my daughter last year.

He's on our piano,

I've been collecting St. Nicolas figures for years -  most of these were gifts from family and friends

in our Russian icon, 

on the hearth,

in some "new" books for us this year,

"A Visit to Santa Claus", by Mararet Evans Price
(vintage reproduction book - just lovely!)

"Strange fancies of flying came into his head
while his mother patted and tucked him in bed..."

"A Christmas Treasury", by Gary Hildebrant

And of course, on our tree! 

Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy; who gives himself by thought or word or deed in every gift that he bestows -Edwin Osgood Grover

ONE MORE...

A Jolly Old Elf?
Even my baby grandson had a visit from St. Nicholas!

SAINT NICHOLAS OR SANTA?

We remember this saint, such a holy, good man.
Be like him in charity, do all that you can.
Many miracles Nicholas hastened to do,
Helping people in need with gifts that were new.

Call him "Santa" or "saint," they both mean the same,
For his nickname is Claus, short for Nicholas' name.
Giving gifts was his custom—we still do today.
Deeds done in Jesus' name forever will stay.

-Author Anonymous [source: St. Nicholas Center; photos mine]

St. Nicholas Day is Almost Here...

"I’ve come at last. She has kept me out for a long time, but I have got in at last. 
Aslan is on the move. The Witch’s magic is weakening." - Father Christmas, 
from C.S. Lewis' The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe [Source] 

This beautiful illustration by Pauline Baynes was printed in 1991. Pauline Baynes (1922 – 2008) was an English book illustrator, whose work encompassed more than 100 books, notably those by C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.

If you're not familiar with St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) and its traditions, you will find my past posts below (right-click the titles to read):
Will the Real Santa Claus Please Stand Up?

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

Who is the Man in the Red Suit? 

St. Nicholas Day in Greece (Gold Coins!)

Belgian Cookies for St. Nicholas Day (picture books and recipe)

Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

A craft for St. Nicholas Day: Red Votives

Printables and instructions from St. Nicholas Center - here

There was a good bishop who lived long ago
There was a good bishop who lived long ago,

his memory is glorious, his legends are bold.
We call him Saint Nicholas, a servant of Christ,
who loved little children and taught what was right.

He is Father Christmas, and Santa Claus too.
He helped many people, the stories are true.
At Christmas he calls to us, both young and old,
To see that the story of Jesus is told.

The gifts that he brings us are signs of the love
That comes down at Christmas from heaven above.
We see Mother Mary, the babe in the stall,
With Joseph, the wise men and shepherds and all.

O blessed Saint Nik'las we hail you today.
The patron of many, to show us the way
To be good and generous, to help those in need,
To be kind to others in both word and deed.

[Text J.M. Rosenthal, 2002, source here: St. Nicholas Center]

THANKS FOR STOPPING "BY THE FENCE" - GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCED

Carl Larsson, "By the Fence", 1904 [source]

Thanks to all my readers who stopped by yesterday to comment and meet Heather, from "Audrey Eclectic".  I hope you enjoyed getting to know her as much as I did. Thank you, Heather, for donating the beautiful Christmas postcard set for my December Giveaway.   And congratulations to the winner:  Jared, a new friend from the blog, "The Life and Times in Kalencom"!

SILHOUETTE CHRISTMAS (& Don't Forget to Comment for my Giveaway!)

It's December 1st, and that means it's time to get out my Christmas dishes!  This year I added to my collection - look at these cute "Yuletide" Victorian silhouette plates I found at Cost Plus World Market!!!  If you've followed my blog very long, you may know I love the art of silhouette.

In fact, these dishes (which we'll use during December and throughout the 12 Days of Christmas) brought to mind some beautiful silhouette Christmas books I've highlighted in the past. 

The titles can be found on my Christmas Book Resource Page, but I've reposted some photos, in case you missed them...

The Night Before Christmas (reviewed here)

Text:  Clement Moore

Illustrator: Niroot Puttapipat

And two more beauties, from Author/Illustrator Jan Pienkowski:

The First Christmas

With text from the "King James Bible", the nativity story is brought gloriously to life with illuminated pages of silhouettes set against glowing colours.

The First Noel, A Christmas Carousel
Part carousel, part shadow box, this elegant stand-alone Nativity book designed by a master paper engineer reflects all the wonder of Christmas and will be treasured for seasons to come.

The book opens to make a beautiful
centerpiece for your table

Here are a couple more lacy, "paper-cut" looking things for Christmas...

Pottery Barn Candles - here

Snowflake wrap from Crate and Barrel - here

These gorgeous silhouette covers do not adorn Christmas books, but they'd make wonderful gifts for any child this holiday season! (You can see all of Barnes and Noble's Leather Bound Classic series here - they're a deal at just $9!)
  

My Giveaway Contest ends today at 11:00 AM (PST).  I'll be announcing the winner at noon (PST) today (12/1/12)!  To enter, just leave a comment here or on my Audrey Eclectic post, HERE, for a chance to win a set of her beautiful Christmas cards. Giveaway over - thanks for all who participated!

go here to read my interview with the artist, Heather...