Lussekatter- symbol of St Lucia day throughout Scandinavia

 

Lussekatter – Saffron Buns of Light and Tradition

Among all the foods connected to St. Lucia Day, lussekatter stand in a class of their own. With their golden color, gentle sweetness, and rich aroma of saffron, they have become one of the most beloved symbols of the 13 December celebration throughout Scandinavia.

The shape: A curling symbol of light

The most common shape is the classic S-form, called lussekatt or katter. The spiral ends represent the turning of darkness toward light, and raisins (one placed at each end) are traditional. Many families create their own shapes—crowns, wreaths, or stylized animals—but the symbolism remains the same: light in the dark Scandinavian winter.

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Traditional Lussekatter Recipe

This is a classic Scandinavian recipe, suitable for home baking. It yields around 20–24 buns.

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Ingredients

For the dough:

• 5 dl (2 cups) whole milk

• 150 g (¾ cup) butter

• 1 g saffron (typically 2 small packets)

• 50 g fresh yeast or 1 packet (11 g) dry yeast

• 1½ dl (⅔ cup) sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• 12–14 dl (5–6 cups) wheat flour

• Optional: 2 tbsp sour cream or quark for a softer dough

For finishing:

• 1 egg (for brushing)

• Raisins

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Instructions

1. Warm the milk and saffron

• Heat the milk gently until lukewarm (not hot).

• Melt the butter in a separate pan and pour it into the milk.

• Crush the saffron between your fingers or in a mortar and stir it into the warm liquid for maximum color and aroma.

2. Activate the yeast

• If using fresh yeast: crumble it into a large bowl and pour over the warm milk mixture.

• If using dry yeast: mix it with a little of the flour first, then add the milk mixture.

3. Add sugar, salt, and flour

• Stir in the sugar and salt.

• Add flour gradually, stirring until the dough begins to form.

• Knead well—about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a mixer—until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4. First rise

• Cover with a clean kitchen towel.

• Let rise for about 45–60 minutes, or until doubled in size.

5. Shape the buns

• Divide the dough into small pieces and roll each into a long rope.

• Form each one into an “S” shape by curling the ends in opposite directions.

• Place a raisin in the center of each spiral.

6. Second rise

• Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• Cover lightly and let rise again for 30 minutes.

7. Brush and bake

• Preheat oven to 225°C (430°F).

• Brush the buns with beaten egg.

• Bake for 8–10 minutes, until golden and fragrant.

8. Cool and enjoy

Allow the buns to rest on a rack. Serve warm with coffee, hot chocolate, or gløgg.

Recipe found here → Lussekatter-symbol of St Lucia Day throughout Scandinavia

Every year on 13 December, Scandinavia celebrates St. Lucia, known as Luciadagen, with music and candlelight processions.

Life in general......

St. Lucia Celebration in Scandinavia: Light in the Midwinter Darkness

Every year on 13 December, Scandinavia awakens to candlelight, song, and a procession led by a girl wearing a crown of candles.

The celebration of St. Lucia—called Luciadagen—is a uniquely Scandinavian tradition today, though Lucia herself came from far to the south. Her popularity in Lutheran Scandinavia reveals a fascinating blend of medieval Catholic roots, folk belief, and cultural adaptation.

The Origin of St. Lucia

St. Lucia (or St. Lucy) was a Christian martyr from Syracuse, Italy, believed to have died around AD 304 during Roman persecutions. According to traditional accounts, Lucia refused to abandon her Christian faith and was executed, becoming widely celebrated in early Christian communities. Her name is derived from lux, meaning “light” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024).

Her feast day, 13 December, originally aligned with the winter solstice in the Julian calendar, which made Lucia a symbolic figure associated with the longest night of the year before calendar reforms shifted the solstice to late December (Catholic Online, 2024).

Lucia’s Arrival in Scandinavia

Lucia traditions were introduced during the Middle Ages, when Catholic influence was still strong in Northern Europe. With the Reformation in the 1500s, Lutheran doctrine officially removed the veneration of saints. Yet, Lucia remained as a cultural figure—her symbolism tied not to doctrine but to the struggle between winter darkness and the returning light (Nordiska Museet, n.d.).

In Sweden, Lucia devotion fused with local folklore. Pre-Christian and early medieval legends describe the dangerous Lussinatten—the longest, darkest night of the year—when supernatural beings were believed to roam freely. The appearance of a white-clad bringer of light fit naturally into these stories, and Lucia’s presence offered a comforting counterbalance (Nordiska Museet, n.d.).

The Paradox: A Catholic Saint in Lutheran Communities

At first glance, the survival of Lucia celebrations in Lutheran Scandinavia seems contradictory. Lutheran theology discouraged saint veneration, yet Lucia processions flourished—especially from the 1800s onward.

The explanation lies in cultural reinterpretation. Lucia lost her religious function and became a symbol of:

• light in darkness

• charity and community

• purity and hope in midwinter

In Sweden, newspapers and cultural movements of the late 19th century helped revive and formalize Lucia traditions. The modern image of Lucia—with a white gown, red sash, and candle crown—was solidified through public Lucia contests and media coverage (Sweden.se, 2023).

Once popularized in Sweden, the celebration spread to Norway and Denmark, where it entered schools, choirs, kindergartens, and even hospitals. *

*copied with a great THANK YOU to Maritin Roe and his website → 

St. Lucia Celebration in Scandinavia: Light in the Midwinter Darkness

Check out his website Norwegian Genealogy and then some

One Hundred years ago Anna Karolina passed

 

                                           

November 21, 1925, one hundred years ago, Anna Karolina Abrahamsson, my great grandmother, died. She was sixty-six. Not really so very old but to me she appears so elderly although I am now yet another 7 years older. Different times, different clothing, different way of life entirely from me I guess. For a little gal she looks a bit imposing, tough? Well, she did have nine children. I suppose you had to be tough, yet I have only heard good things about her.

     Rest in Peace,

    

 

Veteran's Day - Our Immigrant Family in "THE GREAT WAR"

Major hostilities of World War I (THE GREAT WAR) were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations,^[ Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

On this Veteran's Day, November 11, 2025 it is worth noting...

"Foreign-born soldiers composed over 18 percent of the U.S. Army during World War I."
Among them were my great uncles, Richard Peterson and Andrew Soderstrom.

The Immigrant Army: Immigrant Service Members in World War I

"As the American military mobilized to enter World War I in 1917, its ranks filled with a cross-section of American society, including immigrants from around the world. The nation entered the war during a period of peak immigration; between 1901 and 1920, almost 14.5 million immigrants arrived in the U.S. Some Americans welcomed the new immigrants, while others called for increased restrictions on immigration. These sentiments impacted the immigrants who took up arms for the U.S. during World War I.

Foreign-born soldiers composed over 18 percent of the U.S. Army during World War I. Almost one in five draftees was born overseas. Many immigrants also volunteered to serve in the military, often to prove their loyalty to the U.S. and demonstrate their patriotism for their new country. 

Upon entering the armed forces, many immigrant service members could not speak English and knew very little about the U.S. military and government. To address this, the War Department offered a variety of English-language classes to immigrants in wartime training camps. Drawing from the early twentieth-century Americanization Movement that promoted the Assimilation of new immigrants into American culture and society, these classes often included lessons on civics and citizenship to help “Americanize” the men and prepare them both for the battlefield and for life as engaged American citizens after the war.

To further assimilate alien soldiers, Congress passed legislation allowing for the expedited naturalization of foreign-born members of the military. This opportunity allowed more than 300,000 immigrant soldiers to eventually become citizens of the nation they swore to defend.

Immigrants served in U.S. military during World War I in a variety of ways both at home and abroad. Many service members embraced their heritage while they devoted themselves to the defense of the U.S.

Many immigrants viewed their World War I service as a transformational event in their lives and a key part of their identity as new Americans. While many immigrants returned to the U.S. and became citizens after the war, others lost their lives in service of their adopted nation, often before obtaining their American citizenship."

This article comes from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

You can read it in it's entirety → HERE

My great uncle Andrew emigrated from Swedish in 1910

 

The Passing of my Second Cousin

 

-- Obituary --

"Frances Ivadelle was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 4, 1932. God's plans for her life began to unfold at about age 6 when she went to the altar to accept Jesus as her savior.  Her mother Betty Fraser worked to provide for her as well as her sister Ruthie.  Her grandparents helped raise her in the love and fear of God.

Upon graduating from High School, she began work as an operator for the Pacific Telephone Co., but her desire was to be in the mission field.

At age 19 she entered a School of Evangelism and was then sent to Mexico with her friend Carmen Perez. They traveled throughout different states and shared the gospel in many villages. Upon arrival to Mexico City, she and  the missionary team she worked with started a School of Evangelism and it is there that she met the one to be her future husband, Carlos Angeles.

On one assignment, they traveled to a remote village to bring the Good News. It is there that when the indigenous people discovered their message was not of Catholic origin, they were asked to remove their shoes and run for their lives. The stones began to fly with the intent to kill them, but with the Lord's intervention, they lived to tell of it.

Shortly thereafter, in 1954, they were married and continued to evangelize, have home Bible studies, and eventually founded a church "Templo Belen".  This church still operates today.

The Lord blessed them with 6 children, and in 1970, the family relocated to the U.S. After raising their children, they moved to a senior community where they led Sunday Chapel services in the recreation hall.

Frances never wavered from her desire to share the Good News. Whether we knew her as Mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, cousin, or friend, we are blessed to have shared in her life and in her love.

She leaves behind a truly powerful testimony for the Glory of God.

Frances is survived by her 6 children, along with her sister Ruth Cione. She was blessed with 12 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and many extended family members."

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing."    II Timothy 4:7&8

My Second Cousin 

Frances Ivadelle (Fraser) Angeles

1932-2025

May her memory be a blessing,

* right click to enlarge obituary on your computer for easier viewing*