13/12 St Lucy's Day

St Lucy's Day
Traditionally a day for divining the identity of future husbands.

St Lucy is invoked against eye problems in many Catholic countries and, most curious, in Scandinavia where, despite the Reformation, she has remained an incredibly popular figure and one of the few saints commonly worshiped. She is probably the christian "version" of a previous Germanic deity, associated with the hope of rebirth after the long winter (traditionally St Lucy's night is called the longest night of the year).
In some part of the traditional Lombardy (ie the area conquered by the Lombards) and in those parts of Sicily where Lombard immigrants settled during Frederic II's reign St Lucy's day is much beloved by children because it's the day they'll get their presents: the Saint will walk through the night with her donkey, bringing toys (traditionally dolls to the girls and miniature horses and toy soldiers to the boys) to the good children and coal to the bad ones. Tradition has it that if during the night you hear the sound of a small bell, heralding the arrival of the Saint, you should throw yourself to the ground, face down, otherwise she would throw ashes in your eyes to make you blind, just like her.
My mother used to say that she was litterally terrified by the idea of meeting St Lucy: in her area she was depicted as young woman, wearing a white or gray robe, her eyes in a small dish she carried in her hand and blood streaming from her eye sockets... those Catholics surely know how to frighten children!