Cookies left on the mantle for Santa were originally for Saint Lucia.
A wealthy young women who loved Jesus lived in Sicily around 310 AD. She desired to stay a virgin and to spend her life working for God. One powerful pagan man in her community intended to marry her even though Lucia did not want to marry him. She set her mind to using her dowery for helping others and to stay in service to the Lord.
The man denounced her to the authorities for being a Christian in retaliation for her not being willing to marry him. The magistrate ordered Lucia be burned to death. The tradition says her body would not burn until she had received the sacrament. There are many wondrous stories associated with her death and it is difficult to know all the details.
In some traditions, the 13th of December, her saint day, starts the 12 days of Advent.
Regions of Italy, and other parts of Europe, have a tradition that Saint Lucia on a donkey brings either sweets or presents to children who are good. Bad children receive coal. If you are not a sleep, and you see Lucia, she will blow ashes in your eyes making you temporarily blind.
Swedish traditions have a young girl with a crown of candles on her head carrying saffron buns. The lights symbolizing both her name which means light and the fire she suffered for the Lord.
Journal Exercise
Do you put God first and everything else second?
Do you freely express your love of Christ to others or do you deny Jesus with your silence?
Fourth Day Adventures 
❤ St. Lucia