Almost Solstice with Santa Lucia

New Moon Greetings – December 12, 2023

Tomorrow – December 13th – is the feast day of Santa Lucia Day (Saint Lucy). She is the patron saint of Sicily and many parts of Southern Italy, as well as the Netherlands. But what many people don’t realize is that December 13th was the date of Winter Solstice until 1582, when the Gregorian calendar replaced the Julian Calendar. So, this date has its roots in a celebration of light returning.

The word luci means light in Italian. And that word would have been associated with December 13^th  for hundreds of years before Santa Lucia was born in 283 AD. Naming a child some variation of the word luci would make perfect sense on the winter solstice.

December 13^th was also my mom Lucy’s birthday, so celebrating on this day is a way to honor her memory as well. And it is great to know some of the history. In addition to light, Saint Lucy is associated with food, and in particular wheat.

Celebrating the light – Appreciating the Dark

I’ve begun to think of December 13th as a prelude to Solstice. There is something powerful about stopping in our busy lives and acknowledging the mystery of living on this tiny planet in the vast ocean of space. Each year we make this loop around the sun that provides us with light, warmth, and life. We can celebrate the rhythms of light and dark and the changing seasons – each with its own gifts. And we can remember that sunrise and light always come after darkness.

But we can also cultivate an appreciation for darkness – a time hopefully for rest and slowing down. Darkness has always been associated with introspection. Taking some time each day for meditation and journaling is another way to be in sync with this season.

Things to contemplate on Santa Lucia Day

• If you live in a city with lots of lights, perhaps you’ve taken no notice of the increasing darkness. You might take a moment to contemplate how significant this was for our ancestors, not that many generations ago. And that there are places on the planet where people do not have dependable light sources.
• Although the solstice is an actual event with a date and time, the ebb and flow of light and dark is a process. One is always melding into the other.
• Calendars are a way humans order and make sense of the world. However, other cultures have used different calendars and ways to mark time. It is still a somewhat arbitrary ordering of the world that we’ve all agreed on.

Celebrating Santa Lucia Day with Food 

One of the many stories about Santa Lucia is that she saved the town of Syracuse in Sicily from famine. After praying to her, an unexpected ship carrying wheat appeared on her feast day. The people were so hungry they did not grind the wheat to make bread, but instead boiled the wheat berries and ate them as porridge. Each year, in Sicily and Italy, Santa Lucia’s day is celebrated by making and eating a kind of wheat berry pudding called Cuccia.

The current Cuccia recipes are much more elaborate than the original boiled wheat berries. They usually include sugar, citrus, chocolate, and ricotta cheese, making something that is a little like rice pudding. You can find recipes online, but I’ve included my vegan recipe below if you’d like to try it.

Other Ways to Celebrate 

• Look up other cultural celebrations about this day – perhaps your own culture has stories and celebrations you can share.
• Light a candle to dispel darkness.
• Head outside close to sunset to see the long winter shadows the sun creates.
• Create your own stories about “almost solstice”.
• Create your own version of Cuccia or a new recipe that celebrates this day.
• Practice thankfulness for food and nourishment.

Vegan Cuccia – My Simple Rendition

You should be able to find wheat berries (seeds) through your local natural food store, co-op, or online.

1 cup of wheat berries – soaked overnight or for at least a few hours. Drain and add 3 cups of fresh water, bring to a boil and simmer for 50-60 minutes. Add water if needed. The wheat berries will be soft but chewy.

Add the following:

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ cup agave
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips
• ¼ cup your choice of nuts or seeds: sunflower seeds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews
• 1 tablespoon orange peel
• 1 cup of vegan vanilla yogurt OR 1 cup of cashew cream (3/4 cup cashews soaked in 1 cup or warm water for an hour, drained and then blended with 1 cup or fresh water – that’s it.)

Refrigerate to allow the flavors to blend.

And feel free to experiment. Remember, the original Cuccia was just boiled wheat berries. Just start with the wheat berries and add your choice of fruits, nuts, sweetener, and dairy substitute.

Happy Almost Solstice.

Lunar Blog Post Series

This post is part of my lunar blog series.  Each full moon I write about one plant, many of them are plants featured in my book, Growing Mindful.  Each new moon I write about a topic related to gardens, mindfulness, and spirituality. For more details and a list of past lunar blog posts, click here.