By Jacqueline Kelly –
Before we find an answer to that, let’s try to understand what are Christmas flowers?
Poinsettia
A traditional Christmas flower and favourite flower in the United States is the Poinsettia, with its beautiful, red, star-shape. It is called the “Flame Leaf” in Central America or “Flower of the Holy Night” and was brought to the United States over a hundred years ago by Dr. Joel Poinsett, the first American Ambassador to Mexico.
The plant’s association with Christmas began In the 16th century in Mexico, where legend tells of a girl named Maria and her little brother Pablo. They were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festival. Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village Church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. The two children loved Christmas but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wished that they could give something to the Church for Baby Jesus. But, they had nothing. One Christmas Eve Maria and Pablo set out to attend the church service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to Baby Jesus in the manger scene. Of course, other children teased them when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could. Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and miraculously, the green top leaves turned into bright red petals, and soon the manger was surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers and so, we see them today.
The Christmas Rose
A well-known English plant, the Christmas Rose, is a true Christmas flower. It is sometimes called the Snow or Winter Rose. It blooms in the depths of winter in the mountains of Central Europe. Legend links it with the birth of Christ and a little shepherdess named Madelon.
As Madelon tended her sheep one cold and wintry night, wise men and other shepherds passed by with their gifts for the Christ Child. The wise men carried the rich gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense and the shepherds, fruits, honey and doves. Poor Madelon began to weep at the thought of having nothing, not even a simple flower for the Newborn King. An angel, seeing her tears, brushed away the snow revealing a most beautiful white flower tipped with pink- the Christmas Rose.
In Central and Northern Europe, it is the custom to break off a branch of a cherry tree at the beginning of Advent and keep it in water in a warm room; the flowers should burst into bloom at Christmas time.
HOLLY
The Druids believed that holly, with its shiny leaves and red berries stayed green to keep the earth beautiful when the sacred oak lost its leaves. Holly was the sacred plant of Saturn and was used at the Roman Saturnalia festival to honour him. Centuries later, in December, while other Romans continued their pagan worship, Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus. To avoid persecution, they decorated their homes with Saturnalia holly. As Christian population increased, holly lost its pagan association and became a symbol of Christmas.
The holly plant has come to stand for peace and joy, people often settle arguments under a holly tree. Holly is believed to frighten off witches and protect the home from thunder and lightning. In West England, it is said sprigs of holly around a young girl’s bed on Christmas Eve is supposed to keep away mischievous little goblins. In Germany, a piece that has been used in Church decorations is regarded as a charm against lightning. In England, British farmers put sprigs of holly on their beehives. On the first Christmas, they believed, the bees hummed in honour of the Christ Child. The English also mention the “he holly and the she holly” as being the determining factor in who will rule the household in the following year, the “she holly” having smooth leaves and the “he holly’ having prickly ones.
Other beliefs included putting a sprig of holly on the bedpost to bring sweet dreams and making a tonic from holly to cure a cough. All of these references give light to “decking the halls with boughs of holly”.
MISTLETOE
There are different theories about the significance and origin of the mistletoe. In the Pagan days, the mistletoe was considered a sacred plant used in special ceremonies. It was observed as a plant of peace; if enemies met under the mistletoe, they would call a truce for a day. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe comes from the Norse mythology.
Frigga, the goddess of love and beauty loved her son very much and wanted to protect him, forever. She went throughout the world and made everything that came from the four elements [fire, water, air and earth] promise not to harm her son, Balder. However, Loki, a sneaky little spirit, found that if he made an arrow from the mistletoe wood, Balder could be killed.
Frigga was devastated, and her tears became the mistletoe’s white berries restoring Balder back to life.
Frigga, being a loving goddess, forgave the plant and made the mistletoe a symbol of love and promised a kiss to anyone who passes or stands under it.
CHRISTMAS BELLS
One of Christianity’s oldest tradition is with the bell housed in the bell tower. The bell is associated with the Christian Churches in which they call the faithful to services, announce the birth of a child and his or her Baptism and Confirmation. They peal for marriages and toll for the dead. The bell, that chronicled the life of every parishioner, was a sign of continuity that helped draw the community closer. As one Priest commented, the bell is the Church’s loudest voice.
Church bells have been ringing in Christmas for centuries. Like many Christmas traditions, it has several origins. Egyptians used bells at the Feast of Osiris, and most great civilizations thereafter included bells in their religious rituals. When the earth was cold, evil spirits were considered very powerful, and one way to drive them off was to make a great deal of noise. Bells were a very useful part of this, you could play a bell and shout or sing at the same time.
In the Anglican and Catholic Churches, the Church day starts at sunset, so any service after that is the first service of the day. So, a service on Christmas Eve after sunset is traditionally the first service of Christmas Day! In Churches that have a bell or bells, they are often rung to signal the start of this service. Today, the Church bells ring throughout the world on Christmas Eve, to welcome in the Spirit of Christmas with a joyful sound.
The Christian Church first used bells to call worshippers to Mass around 400 A.D. in Campania, Italy. From there the custom spread across Europe. The Church bell was used to announce curfews [from the French couvre-feu, “cover fire”]. In some parts of England, every night, since the time of William, the Conqueror, the bell warned people to keep indoors.
Pope Gregory IX called for an evening bell to the faithful to pray for the Crusaders. In time, it is said, the curfew was combined with morning and noon bells that had originally served other purposes. The result was the Angelus, the practice of pausing for prayerful reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation. Ringing the Angelus reminded people of their spiritual duties as they began and ended the day and as they went about their chores.
The original curfew had a moral too. It suggested to medieval villagers that they should spend their nights at home with the family rather than out on the town.
In Scandinavia, bells signal the end of work and the beginning of festivity. In England, the tolling of Devil’s Knell welcomes the birth of Christ. It is called the Devil’s Knell because it was believed that the Devil died when Christ was born. In Italy and Spain, it signals the Midnight Mass.
At the Midnight Mass, when you hear the Church Bells peal at the Gloria as they announce the birth of Baby Jesus, bow your heads and thank God for the gift of God-With-Us.
CHRISTMAS STAR
The Star of Bethlehem finds place in the window of every Christmas home. This is because the three wise men were guided by a star from the East which moved before them and guided them to the Manger, where it stopped above the exact spot where Baby Jesus was lying, wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger.
The star is one of the great symbols of Christmas, because it was a star that heralded the birth of Christ. The astronomical phenomenon which triggered the seeking of Christ by the wise men. Variously described as a conjunction of planets, it supposedly happened around the year 7 B.C. Stars appear on the top of Christmas trees and electric versions enhance stores, houses and streets across the land. Even the winter sky on a calm, clear Christmas Eve will present a glorious galaxy of them, to remind us of that special light that pointed the way to the Saviour.
The festival of the star is held in Poland. Right after, the Christmas eve meal, Santa Claus dressed like a Bishop acts as the “Star Man”, distributes presents and goes door-to-door singing carols. The Star Man is not always good, if someone was bad, he can give him a good spanking with the birch rod.
In Alaska, boys and girls carry a star-shaped figure from house to house and sing carols in hope of receiving treats. A star signifies hope and love and this is why it ushers in love and hope. For where there is love, there is hope. In general, the Christmas Star symbolizes high hopes and high ideals- hope for good fortune, hope for reaching above oneself. For all human beings, regardless of religion, stars have a special meaning, for all share the heavens, no matter what barriers keep them apart on earth.