Four Lucias

What's this? Am I really posting about Santa Lucia Day before Christmas? I suppose I haven't actually pressed "publish" so I shouldn't count my chickens yet…

We've celebrated our share of Santa Lucia Days on the wrong day, due to scheduling conflicts. We've also gotten up early-early to have the rolls done before morning departures. This year looked like it was going to be a get-up-early year, but then I found out Malachi didn't need to be at cross-country in the morning, so we did a sort of hybrid where I got up early-early to make a pan of rolls for Sam before he left, and then we did Wave Two a little later for everyone else. It meant the girls didn't get to bring Daddy his lussekatter and cocoa in bed…and they were sad about that…but at least everyone else got a bit more sleep!

One more hug for Blankie…

…then to work! It was still dark enough to work by candlelight, which was cozy and nice. The camera actually makes the room look lighter than it was!

I decided to try something new and make the lussekatter dough the night before. Then as I was doing that, the girls reminded me that I had actually done the same thing last year! Huh. I have no memory of it, but it must have worked. It worked fine this year too. I made the dough at 11 pm or so, put it in the fridge for the bulk rise, got up (just for a minute) at 3 am and punched it down and put it on the counter for another bulk rise, then got up at 5:30 am to do the rest of the shaping and the rise on the pan.

Daisy showed Clementine so patiently how to flatten out the snakes and roll them up!

Daisy's hair was still curly from a Nutcracker dress rehearsal the night before

I love Clementine's look here

And here

Such a diligent, careful little worker!

Daisy had Clementine making tiny buns instead of regular-sized ones. So cute!!

Goldielocks

I see three Lucias. But where is the fourth? you are wondering. Well, Junie does tend to be rather hard to rouse from her warm bed! And then for a long time she was hunting for a white dress to wear…but then she joined us at last!

She had just gotten her braces off the day before. Her smile looks lovely!

Hooray, four Lucias! Who would ever have thought we'd be so lucky?

I like Junie and Clementine's matching mouths here. I think they are singing something?

Meanwhile…the little boys were waiting not-so-patiently on the stairs. "Can we come down? Is it time to eat? What kind of cocoa is it? Are the rolls done?"

First pan of rolls almost done!

Squishy!

No one can help kissing Clementine!

At last the waiting and listening proved too much for Gus and Zig. They came running in to the kitchen, begging to help. This happens every year. Who wants to stay upstairs and be served when you can help?

Ziggy had even made himself a Santa Lucia costume. Little sweetie. How could we refuse him?

Goldie was not pleased. I kept saying to her, "What is the whole point of doing this? Isn't it to bring light and happiness to the rest of the family? So if we can accomplish that by letting them help, shouldn't we be happy to do it?" Goldie's sense of rightness and honor was having none of it. "It's supposed to be only the girls!" she insisted. Poor lamb.