The fourth of december is the birthday of Prince Frei but it’s also the feast day of St Barbara – the patron saint of all things loud and booming, like cannons, dynamite and fireworks.
There are several traditions for St Barbara’s day. For example, it’s a tradition to gently take a few cherry twigs – one for each member of the family – then let each person write their name on a piece of paper and tie around the twig. Put the twigs in a nice vase and wait for Christmas. The family member whose twig has blossoms will have special luck during the coming year.
Another tradition is to bake St Barbara Cake. It’s a spongecake with lemon zest and frosting, however in the Lorenzburg version we add some frozen cherries to the batter. Eat the cake with a little whipped cream and something nice to drink. Maybe even something a little stronger for those so inclined…
And with that, I hope you have a lovely St. Barbara Day! However it’s maybe best to avoid to fire cannons or too loud fireworks in order to celebrate, since loud noises may disturb dogs, birds and other animals with sensitive ears.
We wish our friends and citizens a lovely weekend,
Carl Svantesson – Marshall of the Realm