Ruby (9 Dec 2013)
"re:  Nicole's wedding dream December 2013"


 
re:  http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/dec2013/nicole125-4.htm
 
Just two or three days ago it was brought to my mind, a Nordic holiday which I celebrated once many years ago.  It's called Santa Lucia day.  It is celebrated December 13.  Many years ago, I put on a white dress (held a flashlight, as I didn't have a candle), and woke my family singing the song in Swedish and brought them a hot drink and saffron buns.   I don't speak Swedish but still remember part of the song.  I celebrated it that year at the urging of one of my mother's friends, who was from Sweden, to have a Swedish Christmas that year.
 
Information on the holiday
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/517701/St-Lucias-Day
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Lucia_Day   Note that on this page it says the liturgical color is purple.   Note the Christly red sash.  It is a girl, however sometimes they will have star boys  (but lucia is always supposed to be a girl).    One page I read said that in some traditions the lucia girl wakens her family at the cockcrow hour (1-4am it said).   I have no idea about roosters there was their daylight and nightlight hours are way different than ours in winter and summer.
 
modern procession:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tcur8ND5Ks     (reminds me of the 10 virgins)  (you don't need to watch the whole thing)
 
song/ nice version if you want to listen:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppWhyIuGQig  (this is one version, some have different lyrics/  modern melody originated from Italy)
 
Interesting parallels with Nicole's dream.
 
Ruby