Saint Lucy

[dragonyphoenix]

Teresa at Making Light has post on the Feast of St. Lucia, but a good number of the links, which she got from another site and which she freely admits in the post, don't work so I've looked them up.

SANKTA LUCIA SONG A Swedish folksong to St. Lucia along with it's English translation, as well as an Italian song, also translated, associated with the place Santa Lucia.  Both songs have the same tune although the lyrical content is different.  I'm thinking of a St. Lucia ritual including lighting a candle and reciting the Swedish lyrics.
The Christ Child as Saint by Jan-Öjvind Swahn is a very Christian look at the evolution of the festival.

Lucy Fest by Susan Granquist is a heathen (Norse pagan) look at the origins of the festival 
Clement A. Miles, Christmas in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan. I haven't read it yet, but it seems to be a whole book about Pagan origins of Christmas traditions

Comments

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

My friend Doreen used to tell it that the youngest daughter of the house made breakfast for the whole family, and then woke them while wearing the crown of candles. I can remember her saying "What a recipe for disaster." But, for the breakfast at least, most of the family is up and they wake the father.

I'm guessing they have safeguards. One indicent like that would pretty much kill the tradition.