Lusse Lelle

Picture from the web

13 december och Lucia är här.
När jag gick till jobbet imorse kunde jag på långt avstånd se att det stod marschaller runt hela rondellen en bit bort på vägen. Mysigt. klockan var 06.30. Det var kallt och mörkt. Det enda som saknas är snön. Här i Gävle gör de ofta lite mysigt på särskilda dagar som denna. Länge hela Gavleån stod det marschaller och brann, liksom i många av stadens rondeller.
De brann fortfarande när jag 10 timmar senare var på väge hem igen. Även då var det kallt och mörkt.

På frukostfikat idag hade några på jobbet fixat Lussefika med glögg, lussekatter och pepparkakor. Massor med tända ljus och julmusik. Mysigt.

Jag har inte haft möjlighet att se någon Lucia live idag, så jag får väl slå på TVn och se om jag kan få se en där.

Så, nu när Lucia har kommit, då vet vi ju att det bara är elva nätter kvar till jul!!

Picture from the web

Today, December 13, is Saint Lucia's Day. All day long, with start early in the morning you can see girls, and boys, in all ages dressed in a long white dress - almost like a nightdress. The girls have tinsel in their hair and around the waist and a candel in their hand. The boys have a paper cone with stars on, on the head. It is big groups of people proceeding on a line singning. In the front of the choir a girl, often with long hair, walks in the same kind of dress, with a crown with candels on her head and a red ribbon around her waist. This is what we call a Lucia procession.
It is beautiful when they come in the dark with all this candels, singing beautifully. We have quite a lot of traditional songs for Saint Lucia.
I haven't seen a live Lucia this year, I think I have to watch it on TV tonight.
To this day, Saint Lucia's Day, you also eat a traditional bun called "Lussekatt". It is made with saffron.
If you are interested you can find out more about the Lucia tradtion here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy%27s_Day

At work we normally have a coffeebreak at nine. Today some of the staff prepared a special Lucia break. Lots of candels, and we were served Glögg (a traditional drink for Christmas) that you drink with raisins and almond, the "Lussekatt" and gingerbread biscuit (an other Christmas tradition we have).
It was lovely.
Here in Gävle where I live they often make great things for special occations. Today when I was walking to work I could from far distance see that around one of the round-abouts I pass there was pitch torches burning. Lots of them! It was lovely. It was about 06.30 am and it was very cold and dark! The only thing missing is the snow!! They were still burning when I ten hours later passed on my way home. And it was cold and dark!! As if nothing happened in between.
In town we have a small river flowing by. Along both sides there was pitch torches burning. Lovely!

So, when Lucia come visit we all know it is only 11 more nights to Christmas!!