Christmas flowers and plants
Unlike other ornamental flora, Christmas flowers and plants are considered special not only for their uses and appearance.
Christmas flowers and plants are also given much attention and importance because of their colorful history, representations and magic! Christmas flowers and plants can add warmth and glow to a lonely heart and home, while providing satisfaction and fulfillment to their proud owners and creators. As the celebration of Christmas became a wide spread practice, traditions both old a new were eventually converged thereby providing new roles to the fine-looking decorative Flora of Christmas.
Flowers and plants
Some of the most commonly used and displayed Christmas flora are the holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and of course, the most loved Christmas tree. For most people, the only purpose of these decorations is to be beautiful. Their aesthetic value is usually the only aspect that is given special value.
First off is the poinsettia. These magnificent flowers are most often favoured due to the special aura around them since these flowers only bloom during the Christmas season. Their elegant star shaped leaves of green slowly change color into magnificent shades of Red and White, perfectly framing the small yellow flower in the middle.
The holly, on the other hand, shares its history and story with the romantic mistletoe. In the olden times, the mistletoe was often used by the Norsemen as an offering to their Goddess of love. Eventually as the celebration of Christmas spread, the church promoted the holly as an alternative to avoid pagan practices and blasphemy. With their introduction, the holly slowly found its place in the celebration of Christmas. Halls were often decked with the boughs of the holly tree together with their brilliant red fruits.
The last and definitely the most loved of all Christmas flora, is the elaborately designed Christmas tree. Like the others, the practice of putting up a decorated tree also originated from pagan practices. But, through the years, Christians eventually adopted the practice and displayed them in their home or out in the yard. As traditions evolved the Christmas tree was decorated with homemade ornaments, cards, glass figurines and believe it or not, strings of popcorn!
What lies behind
The different Christmas flowers and trees are highly valued for unique characteristic and beauty. However what most people don’t but definitely should know is that mingled with the beauty that they posses are equally unique stories.
The Poinsettias were given much importance because of its representation of the Star of Bethlehem. The elongated star shaped leaves framing the flower, symbolises the brilliant rays of the star. Then, adding more to its intriguing personality is the fact that poinsettias only bloom during the Christmas season.
The holly may have had humble beginnings as the substitute for the mistletoe but, along the way they have become one of the most sought after decorations. The holly’s red fruits became the symbols of Christ’s blood and the thorns as his crown of thorns.
The fir or much more familiar Christmas tree represent the general story told in the coming of Christ. The color green (and including all other green plants) represent life and represents nature. Fir or fire symbolises the spirit or ever burning fire of life. The Christmas balls that we hang are said to represent the planets or the universe, while the star at the top is the guiding star of Bethlehem. The biggest decoration summarizes that everyone and everything were witnesses to the birth of Christ.
The beauty of it all
Simple, graceful, humble and deeply meaningful, these are the characteristics found in the different Christmas plants and flowers. In your next get-together, as you gather around the tree or steal kisses under the mistletoe, remember the stories that they hold and you can even share it to all.