Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Lucia Day

Today is the Lucia Day. In Sweden. Here it's just December 13. So you got to work around things to keep up the traditions. Thanks to jet lag I was up early and could wake up the kids just before it got light outside (not as easy as in Stockholm where the sun isn't up until almost past 8 am on this day). I lit candles, got the Daughter her Lucia gown on, the Son his ginger cookie man outfit, had them wake up dad and then we turned on the Lucia show on Swedish Television's website. Phew. By the time we were half way through the program, the bright Californian sun was shining and all the dark magic was gone.

At night we got some magic when the Daughter and the Son joined in the Lucia procession at our IKEA. The event had been announced in the store and on their website, but let's say there were no huge crowds waiting in line to see this. Mostly proud parents who ran like crazy through displays of Billy book cases and Leksand sofas to try to take pictures of the kids. (yes I was one of them - heck - this was my first opportunity to be a Lucia procession hooligan - couldn't miss that opportunity).

Afterwards IKEA invited all for glögg, ginger snap cookies and lussebullar. Very nice! I must say, despite being week after the last couple of days, it was a very, very, very good Lucia. As good as it get far away from the real thing.

6 comments:

Petchie75 said...

Ikea är bara så bra för att göra reklam för svenska traditioner, svensk mat, allt! Jag gillar dem mer och mer, antagligen för att jag är utlandssvensk. Hemma i Sverige fattar man nog inte hur stort det är att ha en Ikea-affär i närheten!
Härligt med Luciatåg bland Billy-bokhyllor, ha ha! Och vad bra att ni alla kryat på er lagom till Lucia.

Desiree said...

Nice med luciatåg på IKEA. Måste varit kul för barnen att få vara med på sådant. Skönt att höra att du återhämtad dig. Ha en bra helg.

Anonymous said...

Vilken fin bild pa lucaiataget!
Vad roligt att dina barn fick lussa pa Ikea och att de sedan bjod pa glogg och pepparkakor.

Isle Dance said...

Sweet! :o)

JaCal said...

Petra H - nej, hemma kan jag inte direkt påminna mig om hugg i hjärtat när jag kom in på IKEA - haha! ;-)

Deisree - ja, det var kul. Fast nog ännu roligare för föräldrarna... Haha!

Veronika - det var faktiskt väldigt trevligt! Det var andra året tydligen - hade ingen aning tills för bara någon vecka sen. Väldigt fint uppdukat efteråt också. Synd att jag inte fixade att smaka på varken glögg, pepparkakor eller lussebullar...

Isle Dance - it was! They were adorable!

Mia said...

*hahaha* Lucia procession hooligan! ;) I had the pleasure of having Is Nativity play on Lucia, so we are celebrating Lucia today, instead with the TV show and some singing.

But the Nativity show did the trick for me, I was a shepherd.

kram