Happy St. Lucia! This is one tradition I really look forward to doing once I have a family all of my own. The picture below is an 8.5X11 print out, so if you wish, you can print it out and do what you like with it: Christmas cards or just to hang on your fridge, whichever. :)

"Saint Lucia is the day that initiates the Christmas season and it is joyously celebrated. Already in the early morning the traditional Lucia coffee is served. In most Swedish homes where there is a daughter or young relative, the members of the household are treated to coffee in bed with the customary Lucia buns, called lussekatter. She is dressed in a long white robe with a red sash around her waist and berries on her head. The seven lighted candles spread a luminous glow around her." - "Of Swedish Ways" - Lilly Lorenzen



In my book "Of Swedish Ways" It gives the recipe to make Lucia buns:

1 cup milk, scalded
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 yeast cake
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cardamom seed, crushed [Cardamom now & forever reminds me of the Shout out Louds!]
Raisins
A pinch of salt
A pinch of saffron, if so desired
Add butter, sugar and salt to the hot milk and stir until dissolved. Cool to lukewarm and add the crumbled yeast cake. Stir well and add the beaten egg. Stir in flour gradually and the cardamom and beat thoroughly. Place dough in greased bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk. Knead on a floured board for two minutes. Roll out in small portions and cut into strips in te shape of the letter X and curl in the ends. Place 4 raisins at the center of the bun or one at each curled in end. Place on a greased baking sheet, cover and let rise for 1 hour. Brush with beaten egg and bake in moderately hot oven [400 F.] for 12 minutes, or until evenly brown. Makes 2 to 21/2 dozen buns.