December 13th is a fabulous day for Swedes (and adopted Swedes like me!) It’s Santa Lucia day and in the early morning you are greeted by a beautiful girl in a white dress with a red sash and a crown of candles gifting you with rolls and hot cocoa.

Since Ashelyn is a tad young to be carrying around trays of steaming cocoa and sticky rolls, the tradition is left up to me for now. I’ll be honest, Santa Lucia came to our house around 9:30 :) and she wasn’t wearing a white dress with a red sash, but flannel PJs and a t-shirt instead. I don’t do mornings well, alright!

Later in the day Jake’s Gramma invited us all to her house because she wanted to do something special since Lucia fell on the Sabbath this year. Grampa had lit a pathway through their woods with candles where we walked towards beautiful music. (Good job boys!) We eventually came to the baby Jesus being watched over by Mary & Joseph (Megan & JD) We all stood huddled together singing Christmas hymns and reflecting on the marvelous gift of our Lord & Savior. It was wonderful and we really enjoyed it!

Afterwards we headed back up to the house for, of course, cocoa and rolls. Thanks Gramma & Grampa Fish for the wonderful evening. And now some pictures (via my awesome Mother-In-Law since my camera was deadsky!)

Miss Bit- Still chilly from the walk outdoors.

All the lovely Lucia girls. Annie had the candle lit crown, I wish she had it on in the picture!

Gideon wearing the Viking horns and loving the stick he found in the woods.