A day for trolls and saffron bread
Dec. 13th, 2006 09:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
baleanopteraIt doesn’t need to be a Friday to be perilous; sometimes it’s enough that it’s the thirteenth. For today is St. Lucia – as it is every 13th December. It celebrated all over Scandinavia and parts of Germany.
The day is named after the Christian saint St. Lucia, who died in 304 in Syracusa in Sicily. Like most martyrs she died rather horribly. First they tried to burn her, then to boil her in oil – and then finally beheaded her.
So connected with fire and with a name that means light it’s perhaps not a great surprise that this day is celebrated with processions led by girls with a crown decorated with four candles. They sing of the light that comes and banishes the darkness.
But that is (mostly) the catholic Christian version. There is another.
For in the Scandinavian celebration there is also a mention of Lussi, quite possibly a Scandinavian version of the Lucia name – but that’s as far as the resemblance goes. For Lussi is dark and slightly monstrous, and creeps around looking for people who break the Yule traditions. She likes to creep down the chimney (like some dark Santa Claus), crashing into the hearth spreading fire, ash and embers everywhere. She isn’t alone in her travels either – this night all the trolls, goblins and creepy things (know collectively as underjordiske or "those who dwell beneath the earth") are also out traveling. They haunt the country side in large packs, reminiscent of The Wild Hunt , but here they are called Yule-raid or Lussiferd. You do not want to be caught by them.
In addition to this the dead awaken. Some of them go to church, but most of the dead return to where they used to live. You don’t want to meet them either.
So no children must be let out after dark, and you must not go into the barn after dark – because on this day the animals can talk and it’s bad luck to hear what they say. Protect all your thresholds with crosses painted with tar or tools made of steel (preferable a knife or a pair of scissors). Hang brooms under the stable ceiling, so the trolls will take them when they go riding, instead of you horses.
It seems a little odd though, to place such dark importance on a day in the middle of December. Well, according to the old Julian calendar this day used to be the solstice – but with the change to the Gregorian calendar it became the 13th instead. Now the date may have change, but the traditions thankfully lingered.
So there are all these horrible stories – and there are cakes! Oh, yes – for a great part of the modern celebration is the baking of saffron bread. Like this:
They are called Lusse-katter or Lussi's cats. All the different shapes mean something. Some are cats, some are men and women. They are all very good and made with golden saffron.
So happy Lussi - and stay indoors after dark yeah? ;D
ETA: And if anyone wonders what a crown decorated with candles looks like there is a picture here.
The day is named after the Christian saint St. Lucia, who died in 304 in Syracusa in Sicily. Like most martyrs she died rather horribly. First they tried to burn her, then to boil her in oil – and then finally beheaded her.
So connected with fire and with a name that means light it’s perhaps not a great surprise that this day is celebrated with processions led by girls with a crown decorated with four candles. They sing of the light that comes and banishes the darkness.
But that is (mostly) the catholic Christian version. There is another.
For in the Scandinavian celebration there is also a mention of Lussi, quite possibly a Scandinavian version of the Lucia name – but that’s as far as the resemblance goes. For Lussi is dark and slightly monstrous, and creeps around looking for people who break the Yule traditions. She likes to creep down the chimney (like some dark Santa Claus), crashing into the hearth spreading fire, ash and embers everywhere. She isn’t alone in her travels either – this night all the trolls, goblins and creepy things (know collectively as underjordiske or "those who dwell beneath the earth") are also out traveling. They haunt the country side in large packs, reminiscent of The Wild Hunt , but here they are called Yule-raid or Lussiferd. You do not want to be caught by them.
In addition to this the dead awaken. Some of them go to church, but most of the dead return to where they used to live. You don’t want to meet them either.
So no children must be let out after dark, and you must not go into the barn after dark – because on this day the animals can talk and it’s bad luck to hear what they say. Protect all your thresholds with crosses painted with tar or tools made of steel (preferable a knife or a pair of scissors). Hang brooms under the stable ceiling, so the trolls will take them when they go riding, instead of you horses.
It seems a little odd though, to place such dark importance on a day in the middle of December. Well, according to the old Julian calendar this day used to be the solstice – but with the change to the Gregorian calendar it became the 13th instead. Now the date may have change, but the traditions thankfully lingered.
So there are all these horrible stories – and there are cakes! Oh, yes – for a great part of the modern celebration is the baking of saffron bread. Like this:
They are called Lusse-katter or Lussi's cats. All the different shapes mean something. Some are cats, some are men and women. They are all very good and made with golden saffron.
So happy Lussi - and stay indoors after dark yeah? ;D
ETA: And if anyone wonders what a crown decorated with candles looks like there is a picture here.
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no subject
Date: 2006-12-13 08:40 pm (UTC)And thanks for explaining the difference between the Scandinavian and Italian versions. Fascinating!! Also, that bread looks YUMMY!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-13 10:01 pm (UTC)And I'm a little envious of you having been to Sicily. Again it is one of those places I really would like to go to. (First Berlin, now Sicily, you are possibly going to Istanbul - and you live in New York. My envious face is getting greener by the moment. I can only surmise you have good travel karma! ;P )
And the bread is yummy - and golden! I really like the fact that it is made with saffron which, at least to me, adds this touch of elegance to it. *g*
no subject
Date: 2006-12-13 10:11 pm (UTC)I LOVED Sicily - it was so beautiful and so varied in the various cultural offerings (Doric temples, baroque palaces built out of lava, and everything in between!) and wonderful food and cheaper than anywhere else where I've been in Italy.
As for New York, well, obviously someday you will just have to visit here and I will take you to all the places I love the most :)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-13 10:31 pm (UTC)But, CAKES!!! Yummmmm!
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Date: 2006-12-14 12:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-14 09:15 pm (UTC)And cakes is a great yay! (as I'm a great fan of all types of desserts. ;D )
no subject
Date: 2006-12-14 09:22 pm (UTC)That sounds so cool! I'm a little envious. I don't think I've ever seen a Lucia doll, and that would be great!
But my favorite part is still the part with the trolls and goblins. That is the best part of Scandinavian folklore - it's always so dark and slightly scary.
But my favorite holiday is clearly midsummer. Then we have only two hours of night, and it's not so much dark as twilighty. In addition people light huge bonfires and celebrate. It's just this great, almost magical feeling.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-14 09:37 pm (UTC)Oh I agree. I once got to see the part of the restoration works on the Borgia Pope's apartment in the Vatican. Apart from the fun of seeing Alexander VI dressed up like a Mithras priest, it was truly fascinating to see all the technicalities. Also the good fun of viewing a painting before and after restoration. It appealed to my inner geek. ;)
As for New York, well, obviously someday you will just have to visit here and I will take you to all the places I love the most :)
Now that sounds like such an excellent suggestion that I might just take you up on that.
Also - look! Milk reference between icons! Or also just ignore me as I've done to much gift shopping an wrapping today. ;P