The next few days passed slowly inside the Larson farmhouse. The winter storms howled through the windows as Kirsten taught Britta how to quilt. Svein came to visit almost every other day and of course on Sunday for dinner. He and Peter whittled tops and Svein taught him the painstaking task of how to make a Russian Matryoshka doll.
"Svein," Mama looked up from her mending one evening and glanced at her husband, "it is your first Christmas here; we would be honored if you celebrated Saint Lucia's Day with us."
Kirsten and Britta were shocked. "Is he going to sleep in the house?" Britta whispered, her eyes growing wide.
"It would be my pleasure." Svein said in surprise.
"You can spend the night in the barn," Papa said sternly.
"You can stay in Peter's room, in Lars' bed," Mama corrected her husband, "He will be with Anya's family that night."
"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Larson, for your generosity." Svein knew that staying in the house was a big honor.
After Svein left for the evening, Britta pounced on her parents, "He is staying here? With us? Wait until I tell cousin Anna!" The concept of an unrelated, unmarried man staying in the house was a foreign idea to her.
Two days before the holiday Aunt Inger and Anna came to make Lussekatts for Saint Lucia's. The four women bonded over making the traditional Swedish holiday food. Mama and Aunt Inger told their daughters about preparing for the holidays with their mothers back in Sweden and some of the old traditions that were left behind in the old country.
"It is hard coming to a new place all alone," Aunt Inger said to Mama, "You were lucky to have family here. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for Svein, to be alone in his house with his family so far away."
"It is more difficult around the holidays." Mama said sadly, "I remember my mother spending the day with Kirsten and me and baking. She would tell Kirsten stories of when I was a little girl . . . I miss her . . ."
"He is staying in Lars' bed!" Britta gossiped to Anna and Anna laughed at the prospect.
"Are you going to use a bundling sack?" Anna teased.
Kirsten's annoyance from all the gossip about Svein turned to curiosity about the bundling sack.
"What is a bundling sack?" Kirsten asked as she pounded the dough. Mama also turned to Anna to explain.
"It is an American tradition," Anna began.
"Actually, they practice bundling in Sweden, Anna." Aunt Inger interrupted, "It is common in many cultures, the bible even mentions it."
Anna eyes widened in surprise, Kirsten still looked confused as everyone in the room, except Britta, seemed to know what bundling was except for her.
"Bundling," Anna began again in an exasperated voice, "is when a man is courting a woman and would like to spend the night with her, and for obvious reasons," she giggled and turned slightly red, "there are . . . things to worry about. So the man is sewn into a bag with just his head sticking out to prevent . . . things . . . from happening."
"What things?" Britta questioned and Mama hushed her.
"Then the man and the women can spend the night together." Anna concluded.
"Svein will not be staying with Kirsten." Mama said sternly, "He will be with Peter in Lars' bed." As she rolled out the dough, the tone in her voice signified that that was the end of the conversation about bundling bags.
Anna winked at Kirsten before turning her attention back to her cooking.
***
Svein arrived at the Larson's right before sunset and joined the family in telling stories around the fire. Peter popped corn in the fire for everyone and Mama made hot chocolate. It was before long before Mama sent everyone to bed.
Kirsten lay awake thinking about Svein in the next room. Did he snore? No, she could not hear him through the walls. Was he dreaming of her? She thought about Anna and the bundling sack, what was it like to lie next to a man in bed? These questions and thoughts danced in her head until she fell into a restless sleep.
Then what seemed like minutes later, Kirsten was awaken by Britta jumping into bed with her.
"It is time to get up!" she said with excitement.
Kirsten blinked the sleep out of her eyes and yawned before focusing her eyes and the small bundle of energy bouncing in her bed.
"How did you know to be up so early?" Kirsten asked in exhausted amazement.
"I have been waiting all night!" Britta exclaimed and Kirsten took that to mean her little sister had never quite fallen asleep.
Britta and Kirsten crept downstairs to the large blue painted trunk; the trunk that had carried all of their possessions from Sweden years ago. Quietly lifting the lid they both closed their eyes and smiled as the faint smell of lavender reached their nose. Mormor had put lavender in the trunk and amongst their linens so that when they reached America they would smell like home. Every time Kirsten lifted the trunk she was reminded of her last days with her grandmother in Sweden. Britta carefully lifted out the leafy crown she had made the previous day and the special candles as Kirsten lifted out the red sash and the Christmas tray. Supplies in hand, they went back upstairs where Britta helped Kirsten get ready before returning to the kitchen where they made coffee and put the Lussekatts on the tray. Everything finally ready, Britta helped Kirsten light the candles in the crown and wake everyone for breakfast.
"Saint Lucia invites you to breakfast," Kirsten glowed as she woke her parents and then Peter and Svein. Svein smiled at her, the brightest smile she had ever seen.
The family gathered downstairs where Papa laid a fire and they enjoyed their breakfast. Papa told Svein about the family's first holiday in America and the trouble Kirsten and he had faced when trying to get the painted trunk. Svein spoke of his family and how he celebrated with them, there was a hint of sadness in his voice and Mama reached out to him; she understood how it felt to be away from your mother during the holidays.
The day was filled with feasting on the julbord: there was fish and wild turkey, potatoes and meatballs. The dinner table was filled with laughter and food. Finally it was time for the risgrynsgröt rice pudding and the desserts. Mama poured everyone a heaping portion of the risgrynsgröt, but to Kirsten it seemed like she had given Svein an extra large portion. Peter, Hans and Britta playfully swished their spoons through the rice pudding looking for the single almond hidden in the dish, for it was tradition that the one who found the almond would, according to folk belief, be wed during the coming year. Kirsten quietly looked in her pudding for the almond, but it was to no avail. She hoped that maybe it was in Svein's large helping, but he said not.
At last the feasting ended at the night drew to an end. Svein warmly thanked Mr. And Mrs. Larson for opening their home to him for the holidays. Kirsten walked with Svein to the fence.
"Thank you," he whispered to her.
"For what? I did nothing." Kirsten responded earnestly.
"For making America a home for me."
Kirsten smiled at his warm words and slipped her hand into his. "Tell me," she said turning to look into his eyes, "did you find the almond?"
Svein eyes twinkled. "Wouldn't you like to know." He stated. "Happy Saint Lucia's Day, Kirsten." He said kissing her good-bye.
"Happy Saint Lucia's Day."