The Swedish tradition of “Sankta Lucia” fights back against midwinter blues.
My dad used to play and sing for us “Santa Lucia” — his English translation of the Italian original was full of “balmy breezes” and Neapolitan sailors. The Swedish carol is sung to the same tune but with much, much more midwinter-appropriate words, I discovered from Sweden’s English news service:
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The night goes with heavy steps around farm and cottage; round the earth the sun has forsaken, the shadows are brooding. There in our darkened house, stands with lighted candles Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia. The night passes, large and mute The darkness shall soon depart |
p.s. Santa Lucia arrives on December 13, but I’m just getting around to blogging her in anticipation of December 21, when the year’s weakest sunshine arrives at 1:35 p.m.