13. December

In Scandinavia this is the day of st.Lucia. I am unsure, however, why this patroness saint of Eyesight or Blindness (of all things..) has become so traditional and popular a festival here where its basically strictly protestant church through the history of christianity in this region. There are no saints in protestantism?

Besides, the whole saint-things are quite disturbing. This girl was brutally tortured by boiling oil and other popular torture-tech with no result, so they cut out her eyes and killed her. The saint is portrayed with holding her eyes on a plate in front of her.
Nice Swedish/Scandinavian christmas tradition ... The modern version is that she brings light, (the name is derived from Lux =modern measure of light strength...) yellow and weird shaped buns and has a white dress with a wide red belt. She traditionally even has blond hair and is supposed to help people. In other words, not so much to do with a sicilian girl tortured in the 300 AD. Other than maybe the red symbolizes blood, the weird shaped buns are... the eyes on display??
I've never understood these saints things. And very much less so, when I have learned more about what they actually got to their status of sainthood for....

However, today I got some lemons from a coworker that had bought them in Egypt! They look more like paled limes, but the locals had said and reassured that "this was lemons!" Long traveled food! Which smells extremely good, almost like citrus candies. They are going in my tea tonight. I love this kind of culinary treats! Thank you Anne =)

3. December

The smell of Christmas has come to the house. We have made piparkakkuja, gingerbread cookies, pepperkaker, brunekager, and all of the dear names that a loved cookie carry. I sneaked at least ten in the process of them being cooled enough. They are best when hot, and made together with small friends that are excited about the Christmas which is getting ever closer.

This weekend we have our once-a-month boys present, and for the first time in soon to be a year with this sometimes weekend parenting I crashed (and slept for who knows how long?) on the sofa while reading, the boys were playing games.
Could have been all the noise and people that we endured while we were in Barona arena, checking out zillions of free stuff, toys, pizzas and child-friendly activities. Fun, free, play and nicely arranged everything made this a good one to go to (although the youngest one got a bit shy and nervous at first with all the hundreds of peeps).