Our Lucia Artist: Sharon Furner

Our Lucia art this year (2019) comes from Artist Sharon Furner. We are grateful for her permission to use it in promoting the event.

Sharon shares her connection to the tradition with us:

My mother’s fraternal line came from Sweden. Although she seldom spoke of Sweden, at an early age I became very interested in this far away country.

Once married and with a family of five, it became our largest yearly family celebration, outside of Christmas Eve and Day. Our oldest daughter was St. Lucia, dressed in white with red sash and a halo of REAL candles (later, gratefully, replaced with battery driven “candles”).

Melinda took her role very seriously as she carried a Swedish painted tray loaded with buns; sweetly singing Santa Lucia while going from bedroom to bedroom; awakening first, her sleeping father, then two sisters and two brothers. Of course they all feigned sleep, but hearing her sing, they popped up out of warm duvets and put on the tallest cone hats ever!

We quietly and slowly walked in candle lit rooms past our Christmas decorations, trying hard to not spill hot wax while singing. The finally stop was in front of the Christmas tree wrapped in tinsel, flickering glass candles and hand made ornaments.

It was there we sang all the carols we could think of. All was dark, but for the lights. All was cold as the furnace was turned down. All were smiling in their dresses or cone hats. All carefully held burning candles and sang Christmas carols in front of the glistening Christmas tree. All gathered around the candle lit table and enjoyed buns and cocoa until the first rays of morning light broke through the iced over windows.

Today, some of our children celebrate St. Lucia Day in Swedish style. Others celebrate more quietly. But we all know what one another are doing on December 13. It is a tradition that binds us.

Your friend, Sharon

Click here to read more about Sharon’s love of Lucia (and see more of her wonderful artwork) on her website.