Good morning to you my friends on this gray and dreary day! For my British Readers, today is Guy Fawkes Day! For those of us here on the prairie, it is evidently earthquake day! Last night a little after 2 a.m. I was literally shaken awake by my first experience of an earthquake. It was so surreal! I actually got out of bed to see if perhaps a plane had crashed in the field behind our house because frankly, that seemed more plausible. What a strange, strange night!
However, I have something more festive than earthquakes in mind for this post: the celebration of St. Lucia! I told you in my last post how I’m on a bit of a Swedish Christmas kick (when I get enamored with something, I tend to fall hard!) and I decided it was high time to paint my own St. Lucia!
St.Lucia Day is celebrated on Dec.13, when the oldest daughter in the family dons a white robe and red sash, a wreath of candles on her head and leads a procession of children to wake the parents carrying a tray of traditional St. Lucia buns. I first learned of this tradition as a child when I read about it in the American Girls books about my doll, Kirsten. Its such a charming tradition (and one I can appreciate more as a parent, ha!) and I think this year I’d like to try my hand at some St. Lucia buns.
I hope you enjoy the painting, I’m pleased with how she came out. I think this will be on the list of new prints to have made up! She’s perfect for the holiday season.
Do any of you, my readers, celebrate St.Lucia Day? Or is there a special holiday tradition that you celebrate in your home, or one you’d like to start? I’d love to hear about it! Perhaps you’ll inspire a painting…..
God Jul! (Merry Christmas!)
~H
Sleightholm Folk Art 
Your painting is so beautiful Heather! Of course, I'm no stranger to earthquakes living in California, but they still get my heart racing each time. Hope you didn't have any damage.
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Earthquake…didn't know they had earthquakes in your neck of the woods. Glad you're ok. :)Your little Lucia is really pretty. We don't celebrate St. Lucia day but Christmas morning cinnamon rolls are a tradition. Happy Weekend and Happy Painting!Jenny
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The St. Lucia painting is lovely! Like Jenny, we don't celebrate St. Lucia day but do have cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning. I really need to learn how to make mom's cinnamon rolls this year.Waking up to an earthquake can be really disorienting, I'm glad it wasn't a more serious quake.Have a great weekend!
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We have had some mini quakes here…a very strange sensation:) I love your painting….so lovely:)
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wow earth quakes thats a little unsettling,, I love to read about Guy Fawkes day,, lucia is just beautiful and i think would make a lovely christmas print or card even,
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I live in Sweden and used to celebrate it when I was younger. Me and my siblings would wake up extra-early and wake our parents up with singing and fika (a very useful swedish word for taking a brake with cake or sandwiches or coffee). We would dress in white Lucia-dresses with candles and glitter in our hair. One or two of us´ressed up as a tomte (how do I explain this? The ancestor to Santa Claus? A creature in Swedish folklore, anyways). Now, as my two older sisters have moved, we don't celebrate it much in this house (apart from the Lucia-fika), but schools always have some sort of procession and fika and a choir singing christmas songs. Kindergartens come sing at retirement homes and I know some horse clubs that do their own Lucia-tåg with horses!I like the painting, and most of the others you have shown here. It is alwasy interesting to see what people abroad know about one's country.
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WONDERFUL painting! Can I order a print Heather? Mu daughter was born on 13th December and I would love to send her a copy of that and she is blonde too!I am in England and I can see fireworks going off all around me for Guy Fawkes night! Earthquakes, OMG ~ how scary! Karen
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Well, another thing we have in common…it was just recently that I gave away my Kirsten doll. And it was only after my girls got a new one! ;} LOOOVE the painting!! And – oh yes – we were \”shaken\” awake last night too…but it wasn't my first. (Still totally strange!…)
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Her face came out beautiful! the golden hair and the green head wreath such nice contrasts.Hopefully they don't light the candles? eek!!!Lorraine
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My husband is British and we live in the US at the moment.We celebrated Guy Fawkes and Halloween as well.We had an eathquake where we are as well my first experience with one.Your painting is beautiful I love the colors you used.I have a new blog address now and would love for you to stop by and say hi.
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So festive! Lovely 😀
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Your Lucia is gorgeous. I too found out about that holiday because of Kirsten and loved the idea of it. I can't wait to buy a print from you. It will be my first! I am waiting a bit, but was going to ask you about commissioning a family painting after the holidays.MR
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I am very relieved that no one was injured because of the earthquake. I felt one many years ago – and they are very nerve-rattling.I love your St. Lucia painting. The colors are so bright and happy. And the girl herself is just perfect. 🙂
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