Ever since I was a girl and had saved up for the Kirsten American Girl Doll (called Pleasant Company back then), I had wanted to buy her St. Lucia Day outfit. She was from Sweden and her family celebrated the holiday each December, when the eldest girl would wake up early on the morning of December 13 and serve coffee, saffron rolls, and pepparkakor cookies to her family, dressed in a white robe tied with a red sash and with a wreath of candles on her head.
I have wanted to have my girls do this for awhile but this year felt like the best time to try. I wasn’t able to get the wreath of candles figured out but both girls had gowns from their LotR collection that would work, and I made sure to have the ribbon ready to go. What surprised me, though, was that even when I stayed up late working on orders for my store and overslept my alarm that was set early enough to help them with their preparations, they both woke up early anyway, made two trays with coffee (leftover from the day before, but I wasn’t going to say anything!) and a saffron roll that we had made together earlier, and brought them up to our room on their own. I was so proud of them, and they loved it!
Definitely a tradition to refine and perfect for next year. Plus, with their deep love of all things American Girl, I think their dolls could each use a St. Lucia Day dress and wreath as well. Winter definitely doesn’t seem as bleak and dark at our house with these two sweet candles lighting the way!
That night was the children’s Christmas program. They were angels practicing for their announcement to the shepherds of Jesus’ birth. I have to tell you, no matter where I looked in the angelic choir, some child was doing something or other that made me laugh, I could barely even hold the camera steady! It started with the littlest, grumpiest angel of them all:
And continued through Penny doing “the robot,” Alex’s halo which continuously slid down his head into his eyes, several girls distracted by their twirling silver streamers, and etc. All in all, an epic performance!
