Happy Santa Lucia Day! UPDATE w/pictures, bottom page 1

tiggerlover

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Today in Italy is Santa Lucia day. And I wanted to share a little of the history of the day with you all. It is a very important holiday in Verona, more so than any of the surrounding towns in our area. We will spend the afternoon visiting the special Santa Lucia market and viewing the special decorations. After we will go to a small party hosted by the NATO Command and our children (ages 1-10) will each receive a special Santa Lucia gift. We will end the evening out with a special meal at a local restaurant. Here is a brief history explaining how the day became to be.

The festival of Santa Lucia begins before dawn, on the thirteenth of December, which under the old Julian calendar (used in Sweden before 1753) was Christmas Day and the longest night of the year. Throughout Sweden, the eldest daughter in each household comes to her sleeping parents, dressed in a long white gown tied with a red sash, and wearing a crown of lingonberry leaves in which are set seven lighted candles. In her hands she carries a tray of steaming hot coffee and "Lussekattor" (Lucia Runs). The procession includes her sisters and brothers also dressed in white, holding lighted candles, and singing of the light and joy of Christmas. However, the origins of this tradition are not in Scandinavia, but in Syracuse on the island of Sicily around 304 A.D. According to the Sicilian legend, Lucia's mother, a wealthy lady, had been miraculously cured of an illness at the sepulcher of Saint Agatha in Catania. Lucia, a Christian, persuaded her mother in thankfulness to distribute her wealth to the poor. So, by candlelight, the mother and daughter went about the city secretly ministering to the poor of Syracuse. Today they usually have a procession with the children carrying the candles and walking barefoot to the town square where they are showered with candy.

This is our first Santa Lucia day, so I am excited to take part in a new tradition.

:bounce::wave::bounce:
 
Debbi sounds like a very special holiday.
 
Thanks for posting this:D My mother's parents came from Sweden and as a child would celebrate this holiday. As 1 of 3 girls in the family, there was always someone to play Santa Lucia:D
 
Thanks for sharing this nice holiday with us, TL. Sounds very nice, enjoy the day. :sunny:
 

How interesting to experience this holiday in another country. Thanks for posting this :)
 
I've done this once, when we had an foreign exchange student from Finland, but not to the degree you are!
Happy Santa Lucia day!
 
/
Debbi,
What memories you brought back! When I was in 4th grade, our school play had traditoins from other countries and one was of Santa Lucia. (I wasn't here as I am a brunette.) I still can sing parts of the song that we sang as Santa Lucia walked out in her white dress and sash and crown on her head!

DD has the American Doll, Kirsten and of course we bought the Santa Lucia outfit for it!


Enjoy your special day and please give us all the details!
Pam
 
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<font face="Comic Sans MS"><font color=#006400>Thank you for sharing this special holiday with us. Enjoy it, and give us your impressions tomorrow - I'm interested in reading them. :)

Oh, and take LOTS of pictures!!!
 
Christmas star shooting out of the arena in the main piazza (square).
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End of the star.
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Moon rising over the arena.
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DH and a boar head.
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Arena and the Santa Lucia market.
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The Christmas tree in Piazza Bra.
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The illuminated star.
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Thank you for sharing this holiday with us. Sounds like a beautiful holiday with beautiful decorations :)
 
TL ~
Thanks for sharing. The photos are awesome! You brought back some lovely memories for me. My grandparents came from Cicagna, Italy - up in the Liguria region. My grandmother told us of the celebration for Santa Lucia.
 
Great photos, thanks for sharing them
 
Wow, thanks for sharing this very special story and the wonderful pictures! I always learn so much from your posts. :) Wishing you a wonderful holiday. :)
 
Thanks for sharing the story of the holiday and the great pictures with us, Debbi!
CC
 
Thanks for sharing these!

But where's that handsome devil Tyler?;)
 
You are all welcome!

Originally posted by yepod
Thanks for sharing these!

But where's that handsome devil Tyler?;)

yepod, Tyler went with his Host Nation class earlier in the week. The school offered a parents night out so we could Christmas shop (no babysitters here), so he wasn't with us. But there is another thread going with Tyler and Santa if you want to see him. :)

:bounce::wave::bounce:
 

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