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MaryM
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The practice of planting wheat to sprout has been mentioned here on occasion but I can't find a thread devoted to it, so I know we haven't talked about it in depth. I've learned about it in other places on line and some oop print books then wrote a short post for O Night Divine a few years ago. We have planted the Christmas wheat a couple times. It is planted to sprout and be ready to add to the manger as a soft bed for the Baby Jesus by December 24. The new green shoots are also a reminder of the new life born in Bethlehem (and wheat represents the "Bread of Life" - and Bethlehem - house of bread).
I don't seem very good at planning ahead to get it sprouted in time. I'm marking it on my calendar to do again this year though.
I have seen it associated with both St. Lucy's feast day and St. Barbara's. Different cultures do it at different times. It seems the Italians, Hungarians, and Croatians plant on St. Lucy and France, Ukraine, Romania, Yugoslavia set out seeds to sprout more in association with the Feast of St. Barbara. Doing it on St. Barbara's feast day (Dec. 4) gives it a lot more time to sprout and develop. It would be tall enough to cut. Doing it on St. Lucy day (Dec. 13) is closer to Christmas so produces a shorter growth.
If you do this Advent tradition, which date do you choose? Did any of you do this growing up as part of your ethnic tradition?
And this year I'm thinking of it in enough time to actually order a kit. The Confraternity of Penitents sells St. Lucy Wheat Kits.
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Mary M. in Denver
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stellamaris
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Thanks for this reminder, Mary! My wheat kit is on its way! This is a wonderful tradition I have been meaning to start for several years as my husband is both Italian and Hungarian. I always forget, though! Not this year...thanks again  !
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Caroline
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MaryM
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Finding some lovely photos of the blé de la Sainte Barbe (wheat of St. Barbara) used to decorate the tables at Christmas.
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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Croatia's "božićna pšenica" or "Christmas wheat" planted on Saint Lucia Day. Decorates the table on Christmas.
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Mary M. in Denver
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stellamaris
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Thanks for sharing those pics, Mary!!
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Caroline
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JennGM
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I've always wanted to do this! Thanks for the reminder and link, Mary!
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CrunchyMom
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Well, I have about 25 pounds of wheat berries in my freezer from before we gave up wheat (when we were grinding our own flour). Not sure I'll need that much 
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Oh what a lovely idea! I have einkorn wheat berries in my cupboard that would be perfect for this!
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MaryM
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So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast?
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JennGM
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Planning on tomorrow!
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MaryM wrote:
| So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast? |
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We hope to start ours tomorrow, St. Lucy's feast. On St. Barbara's we try to bring in branches to force so they'll be in bloom for Christmas. I've always wanted to have one of those long-ish, rectangular shallow planters for our St. Lucy day wheat sprouting. Maybe one day I'll get one.
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stellamaris
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We're doing it tomorrow as well! I decided on St. Lucy's Day since my children are part Italy as well as Hungarian. And some Swedish, too, so St. Lucy is the all-around favorite here! We only have a few grains of wheat here, but down in Virginia I have a 25 lb. tub of hard spring golden wheat. Next year I'd like to bring up a cup or two to sprout. The picture you posted looks so lovely and lush with the larger amount of grass and the ribbon tied around it, Mary!
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JennGM
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Mackfam wrote:
MaryM wrote:
| So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast? |
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We hope to start ours tomorrow, St. Lucy's feast. On St. Barbara's we try to bring in branches to force so they'll be in bloom for Christmas. I've always wanted to have one of those long-ish, rectangular shallow planters for our St. Lucy day wheat sprouting. Maybe one day I'll get one. |
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I have a lovely wreath type form that is hollow--it's to place flowers floating on it, but I keep thinking it would be so nice to plant the wheat. Next year, if this works out. We only have a few seeds right now.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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momtomany
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Thanks for the reminder to plant ours!
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Mary Ann in PA
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Grateful in VA
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Ordered mine when I saw this in Nov. Planting it this afternoon. Thanks so much, this is new for our family this year.
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MaryM
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Bumping... so folks have plenty of time to order or get wheat locally to plant on St. Lucy day.
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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Planting your wheat seeds tomorrow?
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Mary M. in Denver
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jawgee
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Of course!
We got a dozen for our Classically Catholic Memory homeschool group from Confraternity of Penitents.
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MaryM
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Bump...
Too late for St. Barbara, but not for Saint Lucy.
Who has been doing this the last several years? We have and have found it to be such a lovely and symbolic centerpiece.
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Mary M. in Denver
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LeeAnn
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I came across a nice blog post about Christmas wheat customs:
A French Christmas - the feast of St. Barbara
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Topic: Christmas wheat to sprout??
