A sign of Christmas

Danish 'Lucia brød', known to Swedes as 'Lussekatte', is a traditional Swedish bread baked in celebration of Saint Lucia, a Christian woman who was persecuted  and killed because of her religion. On 'Saint Lucia day' on December 13 a procession of young girls dressed in white and holding candles sing a song for Saint Lucia. This tradition, originally from Sweden, has been commonplace in Denmark since WW2.

The Saint Lucia procession and the Lucia bread are some of my favourite things about December. There is something very serene and hopeful about the procession of children bringing lights into a dark room. Something that is reflected in the eyes of the parents who attend the spectacle: more often than not their eyes will be just a little bit moist.