December 13 is the festival of St. Lucia (which I have described on this blog before).
Throughout Sweden, choirs of girls and boys dressed in white and bearing candles sing lovely songs about hope and comfort. And for a few moments, we stop and listen to the message they bring.
They sing about bringing light and hope to the darkness of winter;
About warmth and compassion in the heart of coldness.
Lucia is a time of lighting candles and remembering that we are like those candles –
A small thing, but one that can light the flame of another.
And as we give light to another, our own light increases –
Spreading the beauty, no matter how insignificant we are.
It’s about remembering that after the dark, the sun returns –
Just like we do.
(Oh – and it’s also about drinking spiced mulled wine and enjoying saffron buns!)
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Lady Fi 
Sounds like a lovely tradition!!! The soft lights bring a warmth to your photos and I’m sure, to the tradition!
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lovely, warming, comforting and perceptive. The mulled wine and saffron buns sound good, too!
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What a beautiful tradition, I am sure it brings the spirits up for this time of year, Thank you for sharing, LadyFi
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We had a Swedish exchange student one Christmas. And she incorporated several Swedish traditions into our family. It was awesome.
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Happy Santa Lucia!
I recall my first winter in Sweden i 1980, attending a class full of foreigners and I memorized the whole song and sang it, without understanding the words.;) It feels today like another life time…
Enjoy the glögg and lussekatter.;))
xoxo
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I like what St Lucia represents. Thank you for sharing that!
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We don´t drink spiced wine, but it is the season for apple cider here. Loved your lights! Great traditions you have.
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It is truly a beautiful tradition. I love that you celebrate light at the darkest time of year.
I did make your special buns last year. Must dig out the recipe and make them again.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
PS, not sure if CSN will ship to Sweden, but I will ask them.
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What a splendid tradition! And how you’ve shared it.. you’ve spread the light … you have. As always.
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This is such a beautiful warm post, with lovely words and pics!
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Beautiful pictures, thoughts and traditions that have a deep meaning for all of us…I am touched by your words today and the fullness of their truth. Thank you. XX Enjoy the festival and of course the wine! 🙂
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Outstanding post! Your blog brings much light to us!!
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I love the St. Lucia tradition. I wish I was Swedish!
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I’m not Swedish either… all you have to do is come visit or find a Swedish school to visit on Lucia!
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ah beautiful pictures…esp the second and that lantern…and yes if we have nothing else to give…we always have the light to pass…
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How lovely and festive. Certainly would get you in the spirit of the season — especially with the mulled wine.
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Sounds like a wonderful time. Love the photos.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
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So beautiful — I remember the post about St Lucia’s day from last year. A beautiful Holiday tradition.
One of our young adult Grandsons just returned from a visit to Sweden among other places — he visited a friend in Lund and Stockholm. He mentioned learning glog (?spelling) and saffron buns. One of the highlights for 20 somethings I guess ;>)– (there were more — he had some lovely pictures). We were glad he got to go.
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Thank you for this lovely and hopeful post
Aloha from Hawaii
Comfort Spiral
>
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Time passes as I remember this tradition from your daughter holding a candle last year. Your photography is gorgeous.
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I have learned so much about Lucia today and I love it! As always, Ladyfi, you bring so much beauty into my evening, it is a lovely blessing before I go to sleep as well as to start my day and I am most appreciative! Have a beautiful week!
Sylvia
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so beautiful……………
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Beautiful shots. The last two are too good.
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Oh that fogged up window in the second shot is amazing!
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Thanks – it’s the church window: taken from the outside, looking in.
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beautiful photos. the last two shots are truly captivating.
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Gorgeous photos. You have real, snowy Xmas in Sweden, I have it underneath the palm trees.
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“And as we give light to another, our own light increases “….
I agree wholeheartedly with that!!
Jeg haper at du skal ha en gledelig jul!
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When I lived in Sweden (Umeå for 5 years!), I really enjoyed St. Lucia, though it’s bit scary to see girls with candles on her head walking and singing a beautiful song.
Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day.
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sounds lovely
your photos are stunning
I love the frosty glowing window
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Lovely shots and the words that accompany are so soothing. Great post.
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Beautiful pictures ! I completely forgot about Santa Lucia, but it’s celebrated here at the Swedish school which is located in Waterloo !
Each year we are all invited.
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a beautiful tribute to St. Lucia. i love the symbolic candle, and the candleholder. and the pink-tinted sky and water are lovely.
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what a wonderful tradition. i hope the next generation continues to follow it and perpetuate it.
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It sounds and looks as though you are enjoying and celebrating the season in a wonderful way. Wonderful photos.
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i´ve always thought that this is a beautiful tradition. 🙂
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Spectacular!
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Happy Tuesday!
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Loved reading about the celebration of St Lucia. Photos and words were wonderful.
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I remember those saffron buns your husband made last year – yummy! All your photos of light are wonderful, Fi, but the small window without the intricate shadows is my favorite.
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I am really loving those window photos!
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What wonderful images all up and down the page!
I too loved the windows and the light. 🙂
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What a lovely tradition. In India too, we have two festivals celebrating light, both in winter- it is only after reading your post that I can guess at the significance.
And fantastic photographs, as always.
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So so lovely tradition from your country 🙂
Rerally wonderful shots today !!!
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fIONA!!!!
Sweden is c ountry full of tradition. It is very nice and the Christmas could be a time to start a very good reflection about the life with and without light.
God Jul!!!!
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thanks so much for stopping by and commenting on my blog ~ i have to go thank hillary 🙂 your post made me aware of the POTW, i love your photos, especially the branch covered in frost! i look forward to reading & viewing more when i can sit still and indulge ~ nice to meet you
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Happy Wednesday!
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Beautiful pics… thanks for sharing. Happy holidays!
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I love the feeling that the atmosphere of your photos creates.
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A beautiful tradition and your photos are so evocative of that spirit of light and comfort.
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These photos, though diverse, go so well together. Light seems so important this time of year.
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Hi Lady Fi, You have outdone yourself once again! I remember this beautiful festival from other years..it is a lovely tradition..I would like to celebrate the light too..these dark days are so depressing:)
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“Lucia is a time of lighting candles and remembering that we are like those candles –
A small thing, but one that can light the flame of another.
And as we give light to another, our own light increases”
That could easily be describing our Christmas Eve candlelight services, when light is passed from candle to candle until the room is glowing with lit-up faces — all singing “Silent Night.”
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