Lucia Day
Hello friends,
The calendar shows December 13th - it is Lucia Day or Luca Day.
First of all, I would like to wish a Happy Lucia Day to Lucy who we all know, to Stephen Keeler’s daughter. Dear Lucy! Have you song the traditional Swedish Lucia song to your father yet? Have you received the small Lucia gift from your father today? I hope so. My Christmas cacti are blooming. I am attaching a photo for you all, especially for all Lucy. 
There are also certain beliefs associated with Luca Day in Slovakia and Hungary that I would like to share with you.
This day, people start to do weather forecast for the next year. People write down that what the weather is like every day from13th to 24th December. These 12 days symbolize the 12 months of next year. For example, the weather is mild, without rain today, so in January we will expect similar weather – January without hard frost and snow. My mother-in-law also writes notes about weather so it is still an alive custom here.
Another belief that my late grandmother told me is that it was forbidden to sew on this day because Luca would punish that by sewing up the hens so they could no longer lay any eggs. It is a funny old world, isn’t it?
The day of Luca people used to start the process of making the Luca Chair. It looked like a stool – a seat without any support for the back or arms. The stool had to be made of nine different kinds of wood and had to be made slowly, every day a bit right up to Christmas. There is a saying: “Készül, mint Luca széke.” that I will try to translate: It is getting done slowly like Luca’s chair. It was believed that who stood on this chair during Midnight Mass could see if there was a witch present in the church. But after that the chair had to be thrown into the fire because the owner of the Luca Chair would be torn apart by the witches.
Do you like these beliefs, customs? Tell me, what your favourite Christmas tradition is.
Well, I just wanted to drop you a quick note to stay in touch and familiarise you with Luca day’s beliefs. Now I should go serve lunch. I will answer your comments soon. Have a wonderful weekend! Take care,
Anita
Comments
Oh! Anita I sewed a button on my trousers this morning, but fortunately I haven’t got a hen so a witch won’t cast a spell on me. Will she? To tell the truth, it’s not really familiar linking Christmas customs or traditions with me as Christmas is not a big thing for ordinary people in Korea except church-goers. So, whenever I read or listen to a tradition of it I am always captivated, never get bored and I live and learn every day. Thank you for telling us the fascinating custom and the picture of cactus. It’s been really foul, and I am depressed by it, but nevertheless the picture makes me feel much much better. I am going to put a tree up today because I have told that that putting a Christmas tree up before 12 and after 12days from the Christmas day brings luck next whole year. have a nice lunch! xx
Hi Anita, Quite an interesting Lucia Day. To me,it is a very unique custom. About the Luca chair: Have you made a Luca chair this year? Who will make a Luca chair nowadays? Do you have any photo of the Luca chair? Merry X'mas, James.
Hello Anita, funny, fantastic, old customs. Thank you for sharing them with us. Esp. for a non-christian like me they're all new and interesting. Bye the way, when is the right time to say "Happy Christmas"? Before you type your answer, I want to say HAPPY, HAPPY Christmas and New Year to you and and your family and all the other bloggers. Hania
Hi Anita Hurey ! Finally today i could read most of the new Blogs .And very thanks for your reply . If you want you can see my two kids photo in my Blog : www.pary-diery.blogspot.com . woh ! You were lucky for your second trip to london and visiting BBC LE team . My new Born is three month now and i hope to be more on line in my three month left of my maternitiy leave . I think you will surprised to know in Iran women recently take Six month maternitiy leave . But i can n't use the best this off days , you know just feeding , changing , and make the baby to sleep ( most of the time unsusseccful :( and the weather is so cold to have a drive in the city ! And my first son has started his pre school classes and he has some home work every day and needs my help some times ! now i just enjoy my motherhood ! see you and kisses
Very interesting to learn about these customs that were totally unknown for me. It seems that Saint Lucia is very important and celebrated in Italy as I checked after reading your entry. Here we have a river and a city with her name: "Santa Lucía" but I didn´t know about that saint.
Hi, I read your blog because that it nevigated by bbc learning english, and I really love your writing.
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