Wineries celebrate the season with special events

Holiday traditions return to Finger Lakes wineries next weekend.

Swedish Hill Vineyard in Romulus will be celebrating Santa Lucia Day from noon to 5 p.m. on Dec. 13. The event marks the beginning of the traditional holiday season in Sweden.

The celebration honors a Sicilian saint and has its roots in the fourth century. Although there are several accounts of how St. Lucia lived and what she accomplished during her life, most acknowledge that she was persecuted and killed because of her generosity and Christian beliefs.

The date of the celebration is tied to the Julian calendar, when Dec. 13 was the shortest day of the year. St. Lucia symbolized light, and the early Christians honored her on that date because from that day forward, each day would be getting longer, bringing more daylight.

At Swedish Hill, Santa Lucia will be dressed in a traditional white robe and wear a crown of candles, symbolic of the light she represents.

You may want to sample some Glogg (pronounced "gloog"), a red-wine drink seasoned with several spices, while snacking on Swedish goodies served by Santa Lucia. The free event also offers shoppers a chance to pick up some winerelated gifts while celebrating.

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards & Winery in Hector will be hosting the seventh annual Seneca Santa Celebration from noon to 6 p.m. on Dec. 13. There will be several raffles during the afternoon to raise funds for the Schuyler County Seneca Santa, which has provided presents to children age 12 and under for many years.

The prizes include tickets for wine trail events, dinner for two and overnight accommodations in the Finger Lakes. This is the third year that Burdett cabinetmaker Robert Hansen is donating a piece of handmade furniture to be auctioned during the celebration.

Years ago, Seneca Santa began with a few families fixing toys at the Garden Grill, now The Savoy, in Watkins Glen. Longtime Seneca Santa supporter Barbara Cook remembers her father, Leo Martine, several uncles and some firefighters delivering repaired toys by firetruck.

"As a child it gave you a real perspective on what holidays are all about," Barbara says.

Don't think that just because you are helping a worthwhile cause that you can't be having a great time as well. The group at Hazlitt has some new entertainment planned for this year's event - in addition to the successful established activities.

One of the most popular events resulted from a little brainstorming session when the group was first organizing the celebration. John Frederick (popularly known as "JF") suggested a variation on the kissing booth: Kiss the bald guy. Mary Kay donated a variety of lipstick samples; JF, a calculus and driver-education teacher at Dundee High School during the week, donated the top of his head. He winds up with quite a collection of kisses, mostly planted on his shiny dome, by the end of the day.

Another highlight is the Seneca Santa Blues Band. Representatives from eight area bands get together and provide music during the once-a-year event.

Over the last six years, the winery has raised $37,000 for Seneca Santa. Having met their goal of $7,000 last year, they raised the mark to $8,000 this year.

According to Seneca Santa president Peggy Scott, 190 families and almost 400 children will be served when the group makes its rounds to deliver presents this year.

Holiday winery happenings

-- Santa Lucia Day, noon-5 p.m. Dec. 13, Swedish Hill Winery, 4565 Route 414, Romulus. 888/549-WINE or 315/549-8326. www.swedishhill.com.

-- Seventh annual Seneca Santa Celebration, noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 13, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards & Winery, Route 414, Hector. 607/546-WINE or 888/750-0494. www.hazlitt1852.com.

Jeff Richards' wine column appears each Thursday on the Twin Tiers Life Food Page. For comments or questions, he can be reached at 607/271-8279 or 800/836-8970, ext. 279, or e-mail: thewineguy