This year I just didn’t have the energy to bake our annual Saint Lucia’s Braided Bread on the eve of St. Lucy’s feast day, due to lots of contractions, after a very busy day attending a field trip (the weather was beautiful!), baking cupcakes, and then Our Lady of Guadalupe Potluck at our parish (at least I didn’t have to make lunch or dinner!). I tried again in the morning, getting up at 5 am, but after starting the laundry and more contractions, I gave up and went back to bed. I just haven’t had same energy during Advent this pregnancy, as I did when I was pregnant with Rose.
Our children understand, but still I found our little Chiquita, who celebrates a name day on this beautiful feast, with tears in her eyes. When I asked her what was wrong she said that “We are missing Santa Lucia Day!” Apparently it just isn’t complete without the Saint Lucia Bread, and the cinnamon rolls that Daddy was going to bring home from work (yes, he was already called back in after just a day of leave) just weren’t going to be the same. Despite feeling awful, it was so nice to see how much these little feast day celebrations have come to mean to our children.
I somehow managed to pull myself together long enough to bake the bread before my afternoon OB appointment, for the girls to serve (while singing/playing the song Santa Lucia) before bedtime, after our family rosary, Advent Read-a-loud, and Jesse Tree. It was so worth the extra effort!
Oh Jessica! Please take care of yourself and the babe. Your days sound exhausting and I am not pregnant. Praying for a safe and simple labour and delivery.
Beautiful photos! Love your little star boy, too! If it's any consolation, we seldom do the early morning St. Lucia presentation, especially on weekdays when my husband leaves extra early for work and my son has to be at school by 7:15 a.m. We often do it at night, too. The Lussekatter or bread tastes especially good at night with a non-alcoholic mulled fruit drink. This year, we're doing St. Lucia on Saturday morning since it will work better with our schedule. I used to fret about not doing these things on the actual day, but the kids remember them even if they don't seem perfect to us!
Advent blessings to you and your family!
All those contractions- maybe you will get that Dec 16th baby, after all. 🙂
Take it easy, Mama. I'm praying for you.
Your children do seem delighted with that beautiful bread you made. Looks like a very special feast. You are amazing to pull that off.
Oh, Jessica, prayers for you! I read posts like this and wish I could help somehow. Being pregnant with young children is so hard. Monday after my ob appointment I was rear ended picking up kids from school after stopping at the store. I hated to have my Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast all out the window. My husband travels a lot and it was a good excuse to post pone to the weekend…when we all could celebrate together. Husband and daddy gone this close to the holidays is always hard and my kids get sad.
Jessica, your pics are beautiful! You are such a good Mama 🙂
I'm hoping to pull a little St. Lucia celebration together for the first time with my family later this week…glad to read in the comments that other families sometimes use different days,too, lol!
Blessings to you, Jessica. You are such an encouragement!
♥Collette
So sweet! Your post brought tears to my eyes because of the effort you went thru to make Chiquita's day. Those little tears of innocent children really pull at the heart-strings! You're an awesome Mama. Love, Teresa in Kansas
Boy did your day sound like mine, minus the contractions! We scraped our little day together as well as I didn't want to disappoint the kids. You did a wonderful job! A lovely sacrifice you made for your children. God bless and thank you for sharing… I LOVE your blog!!!
Precious, precious memories. I once told my grandmother to sit down and not work so hard. She told me she was tired at night, whether she worked or not. She liked working to serve her family. That idea was life changing for me, a true epiphany. You will be so glad you chose to sacrifice your energy level for this dear little girl. Soon enough she will be grown and married with children of her own. Only memories of her sweet smile and child voice will remain. Cherish these fleeting days.
Oh, and happy birthing!!!
i think you are a living saint. 🙂
Take care, dear Jessica. Thinking of you here in NZ where it's already the morning of Thursday 15th…
Good health to you and your baby, and all your family.
Love from Valerie.
These days do start to mean so much to the kids. My incredible husband made our St. Lucy bread the evening before because he didn't want our girls to be disappointed. That kind of thing has gotten hard for me to do with a new baby attached to me constantly! I feel bad not being able to pull it off myself, but I'm very blessed that he wants to do it for me this year!
Looks like your family had a lovely evening celebration!!
You amaze me with all you are able to do. I pray that you are doing well and getting a bit of rest, if possible.
I have an off topic question that anyone can answer. I have always wanted to celebrate name days and am really inspired by your posts to do so this year. Which day would you use for girls named Mary, after the Blessed MOther, since there are so many feast days dedicated to her? Thanks. Hope that isn't a silly question.
God bless, you are an inspiration to the rest of us mere mortals.
Thank you all for your kind comments and prayers!
I did think about having our celebration on another day, but with Rose's birthday this week, and not knowing when I might deliver, didn't want to chance waiting, if we were going to do it at all.
This was only the 4th year that we've made the St. Lucia Braided Bread, but to a 6 year old, it is nearly a lifetime! 🙂 It really was worth the extra effort to see the big smile on her face.
JenniferAnne ~ Do you (or your daughter) have a special devotion to a particular title of our lady? Perhaps this would help you decide which of her feast days to choose as a name-day. It really is up to you! There are so many wonderful days to choose from, including the feast of "The Most Holy Name of Mary!"
I love the idea of St Lucia Day, but how do you go about it if you have all boys?
Jessica – did you make the crown that Rose is wearing or purchase it? Wondering if I could purchase one online…..!
Hi Krista! I have two fabric crowns – one was from a friend in Norway and the other I purchased from The American Swedish Institutes shop (though I can't seem to find it in their shop anymore)…
Thanks for letting me know. We made a paper one last year that you blogged about but it is "kaput" and was thinking of getting something that is more permanent. I like the idea of a soft version. Rose looks so cute in it, too!