Friday was a crazy day. In reality, it was a crazy week following a crazy month. I'm tired, worried about kids and racing work and volunteer deadlines that leave me in the dust. Wednesday, Zoe and I fly to Houston to see Phillip, Tiffany and Lizzy. I can't wait to see them! But I've had a hard time hanging on to the Christmas spirit amidst the rush. Thank goodness for....
1. Zoe's Saint Lucia presentation Friday. Santa Lucia's Day is celebrated on December 13th in Sweden. It commemorates the life of Santa Lucia, who is best known for carrying food and supplies to Sicilian Christians hiding in the catacombs in the darkness of night. To keep both hands free, she wore a wreath of candles on her head. The holiday celebrates the beginning of the Christmas season and is a celebration of light – at the time of year when the world is darker.
The tradition on Santa Lucia Day is for the oldest girl in the family to dress at Saint Lucia, wearing a white robe with a red sash and a crown of candles and lingonberry leaves and berries. The other girls dress in white with silver crowns and sing Santa Lucia songs. On the morning of Santa Lucia, the children in the family will often wake their parents with a breakfast of Lussekatter (a special St. Lucia bun made with saffron), ginger cookies, coffee and glögg (hot spiced wine). The children also parade through the streets in white, holding candles and singing.
Zoe's seminar class learned about the holiday, including the traditional song in Swedish, and planned to visit several classrooms. I promised to come watch. I love the tradition, and the angel on top of our Christmas tree is a Saint Lucia. But I arrived to the school breathless. I'd hurt myself lifting snow tires and was almost in tears. No Christmas spirit in my heart, I'm afraid, rather a hard little lump of coal.
Then we walked into a dark classroom. I snuck to the back. The girls, dressed in white and holding candles, came in two by two, singing a beautiful tune in Swedish. Zoe stood at one end, looking like an angel with a ring of silver tinsel in her hair, the color of moonlight. They switched to English, and as I listened to the message of light coming from darkness, my little lumpy heart started to melt. I felt love and gratitude for my many blessings. A peace settled on my tired mind. It felt like Christmas. I felt the quiet love of God.
Deep in the northern sky
Bright stars are beaming
Christmas is drawing near.
Candles are gleaming.
Welcome the visions rare.
Light glowing in her hair
Santa Lucia. Santa Lucia.
2. Music. Tonight I sit at Fromaggio's in Manson, next to a blazing fire, listening to Sam play Christmas tunes on the keyboard. It feels good to take another moment to reflect. He plays, "I wonder as I wander." I remember sitting on my living room couch with my friend Vidette in high school, listening to that song played on our old record player, candles burning, singing along. It reminds me of our friendship and love for the holiday.
3. Nativities. This morning the kids and I visited our church's nativity festival and enjoyed a collection of more than 100 displays from around the world. Soft music. Gentle art. A reminder of why we celebrate the holiday in the first place.
It's easy to lose the spirit of Christmas as we run to and from holiday concerts and activities. I am grateful for the quiet moments that keep my heart soft and open. Merry Christmas.
Posted with Blogsy
Merry Christmas to you! Those quiet moments really are the times when I feel the spirit of the season, too. I suppose the "bitter" of the frantic preparation is part of what makes the gentle pauses so sweet.
ReplyDelete