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Celebrating St. Lucia Day
- Erryn Kowallis
- Dec 11, 2024
- 3 min read
For the past few years December 13th has rolled around only for me to realize—the moment I open social media and see a candle-lit crown—that it's, once again, St. Lucia Day and I've, once again, forgotten.
As a Protestant learning to value the liturgical calendar, I've been particularly drawn to the saints of old. As a homeschooling mother learning more about the value of legends and lore, I've been thoroughly enjoying sharing these tales with my children. If you're in a similar boat, this blog post is for you.
Truth be told the only reason I got my act together in time to celebrate St. Lucia Day this year is our co-op. We happen to be meeting on St. Lucia Day and wanted to celebrate as a group. Many of the resources I'll share below come from the brain power of our co-op leads and our collective research leading up to this Friday.
If you're unfamiliar, St. Lucia Day lands on December 13th. St. Lucia is the patron saint of Sweden and, in many Northern European homes, St. Lucia Day is typically celebrated with early morning sweets & coffee presented by the children. The eldest daughter is adorned with a lingonberry crown holding a multitude of candles and has the honor of serving the snacks while her younger siblings hold candles and sticks graced with stars.
I was aware of the traditional way to celebrate St. Lucia Day but it wasn't until this year that I took the time to look into her life, death, and legends. Like many ancient saints, her story is one of intrigue.
Lucia of Syracuse (c. 2830304 AD) is an Italian woman known for her compassion for the poor and hungry. She was martyred for her Christian faith, after refusing to marry a pagan and spending her dowry to support the impoverished. She is also believed to have appeared to Christians in catacombs and the Swedes in their time of distress—hence why an Italian woman is so widely remembered in Scandinavia.
I won't dispel anymore, so you're encouraged to utilize the resources below ;) , but St. Lucia has quite the legacy of being a light in the midst of darkness; a story which I'd highly recommend sharing with your children.
Now on to resources! Below you'll find my favorite videos, books, and activities to honor St. Lucia as a family this Friday. You'll even find a free tutorial on how to make a felt St. Lucia crown.
Considering St. Lucia was martyred for her faith, it's worth noting that aspects of her story can be graphic for young children. Please look into the resources below before sharing them with your children.
Books:
Lucia, Saint of Light: My favorite picture book on St. Lucia with a thorough but concise explanation and gorgeous pictures. It does specify the way in which St. Lucia was killed, which may be too detailed for littles.
Stories of the Saints: A wonderful book that chronologically walks through the legends of the saints and includes a story on St. Lucy.
Lucia Morning in Sweden: A great option if you're looking for something little-kid friendly and would like recipes and costume ideas!
Videos:
Overview of St. Lucia: A milder overview of St. Lucia
Stories of the Saints, St. Lucy: A reading from Stories of The Saints
Activities:
Felt Crown Instructions: When making felt crowns for our co-op, I created a step by step tutorial with visuals.
Printed St. Lucia crown: If you'd rather avoid an in-depth craft, this paper crown is beautiful and simple.
Saffron Bun Recipe: If you'll be celebrating St. Lucia Day, some form of fika (or treat) is a must! Saffron buns are the traditional treat of choice; however, if you aren't a fan of saffron I'd recommend utilizing cardamom instead or going for the ginger snaps.
Swedish Ginger Snap Recipe: A great treat option! Pro tip: if you're in a pinch, World Market sells premade Swedish Ginger snaps. Look for the Nyakers brand and pretty tin.
Coloring Pages:
2. Saint Lucy
I hope these resources are helpful and you feel better equipped to celebrate St. Lucia this Friday. If you use any of them and share online, I'd love it if you'd tag me @errynandco!
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