From Wheat Berry Soup to Saffron Rolls, St. Lucia's Day is Rich in Tradition
Different traditions surround this saint's day, which is celebrated on one of the shortest days of the year.
For Swedes, Dec. 13 starts early with saffron buns, ginger snaps, coffee and glögg (mulled wine), served by candle-crowned girls and boys in pointed hats. For Italians, the day begins with a bowl of cuccia—wheat berries simmered with milk and sugar. It’s St. Lucia's Day, and the traditions that come with it are many. See photos from the Embassy of Sweden's Dec. 1, 2012, St. Lucia celebration in Georgetown. St. Lucia was an early Christian martyr of Syracuse, on the island of Sicily. After her wealthy mother recovered from an illness, Lucia and her mother distributed their riches to the poor in thankfulness, and at night to avoid the Roman cops. Lucia’s non-Christian fiance did not take kindly to this redistribution of her wealth, and he …
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