Santa Lucia is a holiday in many parts of the world including Sweden and some towns in Italy, particularly in the Veneto and two towns in Lombardy, Crema and Cremona. The latter is a very famous city for its liutai or lute makers as well. Many don’t read Italian, I know, but here is an interesting explanation of this festive day that some consider almost as important as Christmas. Santa Lucia was a Saint from Siracusa, Sicily.

My own reason for celebrating Santa Lucia lies much closer to home with my beautiful niece whose name day is today – Lucia. When she was younger, she didn’t know a lot about wine and would ask me how the soda business was going. I thought it was very funny and appropriate.

She also made me sing and act out the entire movie The Sound of Music in front of my family when she was 4 years old. That movie, one of my favorites, a girl after my own heart. Happy Santa Lucia.