Today, 13 December, is St. Lucy's Day! Her name is derived from the Latin lux, lucis meaning "light" and she is the patron saint of the blind. "Lucy" was also the name of my paternal grandmother.
The original Saint Lucy, as the story goes, was a wealthy young Christian woman who lived in Sicily during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. She consecrated her virginity to God, refused to marry a pagan and distributed her belongings to the poor. Her rejected pagan bridegroom denounced her to the authorities as a Christian, perhaps less out of pique at losing her than at losing the fortune she would have brought him. In one version of the story, her eyes were gouged out by her persecutors. In another, she herself tears out her eyes and presents them to her would-be husband on a plate.
From this quite gory beginning - or ending, because Lucy did not live long after her eyes had been gouged out, however that happened - comes the rather sweet tradition of St. Lucy's Day, at least as it is celebrated in Scandinavian countries, primarily Sweden, today. St. Lucy's Day is one of the few saints' days celebrated in the Lutheran religion and its celebration is believed to have arisen from the tradition in German Protestant families of having girls dressed in angelic Christ-like fashion to help distribute sweets and gifts to the family. In Sweden, the date is celebrated within each family by having the oldest (or youngest) daughter wear a candle-wreath on her head and serve buns to her parents and other family members in the morning, while singing a St. Lucy song. The tradition is celebrated outside the family by selecting one young girl in the community to lead a procession through town, wearing a white robe and a candle wreath on her head, while other young girls, also robed in white, follow her, each one holding a single candle.
In my last full-time place of employment, I was fortunate to have several Swedish colleagues. On this day, every year, they would share their celebrations by bringing in electric hot plates to heat up glögg and serve it to all, accompanied by pepparkakor (gingerbread). So on this day, I will always hold fond memories of good friends, very professional and courteous colleagues, and good fellowship as we shared mulled wine and cookies for a few brief moments to lighten the workplace cares.
My erstwhile Swedish colleagues are scattered now. Several have returned to Sweden; others have found work in other international workplaces abroad. A couple have even remained in Switzerland. But even though all now have moved on to other phases in their own lives, I will always remember those moments and those other colleagues who shared them with us as shining highlights of my career. To all, I send very warm greetings of the season.
For anyone who would like to celebrate a typical Swedish St. Lucy's Day, it's really not too late. Just hie yourselves to your nearest IKEA for authentic pepparkakor. You can also find similar thin gingerbread cookies in the local supermarket. In almost every country but the United States, you can also find glögg at IKEA. But don't waste your time doing that in the US because liquor licensing laws will not allow it. Just go to a wine store and purchase some red wine and mulling spices for the same effect.
Or skip the alcohol entirely and have mulled cider instead! Whatever you do, have a lovely St. Lucy's Day!
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