Monday, December 12, 2011

Santa Lucia! Tomorrow! December 13!

Our little Lucy is growing up.  And, in honor of her being older, we are celebrating her name day more traditionally this year.  For those of you who have a daughter, here is the more traditional way of celebrating Santa Lucia in Sweden:

Your oldest (or youngest) daughter arises in the darkness of the morning before the household and dresses in a white gown with a red sash and puts a crown of candles on her head.  She carries a plate of Lucia buns and walks around waking the household while we sing the Santa Lucia song as we wake (granted, Pa and I are going to help her wake up this year).

There are many recipes out there.  Traditionally the recipe uses to saffron.  I will confess I have deviated from that in the past and used this recipe a few times (substituting soy milk) and the kids enjoyed it very much.

All right!  Baby needs a nap!  Blessings to you all!

Tree Blessing Prayer

Every year on the Sunday of our Forefathers and in honor of my husband's patron saint, Jesse, we buy our Christmas tree and bless it.  For those of you who would like to bless your tree, here is the prayer for it*:

Father or Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who hath made heaven and earth.
All: All the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord, for He comes. 
Read Psalm 95.
All: All the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord, for He comes.
Leader: Lesson from the Prophet Ezekiel (Read Ezekiel 17:22-24)
All: Thanks be to God.
Leader: And there shall come forth a shoot.
All: Out of the root of Jesse.
Leader: In Him was life.
All:And the life was the light of men.
Leader: O Lord hear my prayer.
All: And let my cry come unto Thee.
Leader: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Leader: Let us pray. Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God, Who hast caused Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to be planted like a tree of life in Thy Church, by being born of th emost HOly Virgin Mary, bless, we beseech thee, this tree that all who see it may be filled with a holy desire to be ingrafted as living branches into the same Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the HOly Spirit, One God, world without end. 
All. Amen

Sprinkle the tree with holy water and sing an Advent hymn.

*Many thanks to Nan, who in her research years ago discovered this prayer!