Christmas Greenery

Christmas came and went. Doesn’t it seems like it takes forever for the day to arrive and, in a blink of an eye, it’s gone? Amidst the rush and anticipation for Christmas, do you ever sit down and wonder where we get some of our traditions? Why do we give poinsettias at Christmas time when this tropical plant cannot withstand temperatures below 40 degrees? Where did the yule log come from? Why do we decorate with holly, ivy, and mistletoe? And where did we get the idea of decorating a tree and setting it up in front of the living room window? I decided to find out the answers and this is what I found.

The poinsettia, also known as "the Flower of the Holy Night," became popular in Mexico with the legend of a poor boy. At church on Christmas Eve, he was unable to give a gift to Jesus, which was a tradition at that time; so, he knelt outside by the church window and prayed. Later, in the spot where he knelt, grew a beautiful poinsettia. The poinsettia wasn’t given its name until Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first American Ambassador to Mexico in the mid-1820’s, brought it back to America. Today we give these plants at Christmas time to friends and family. Because remember that they are a tropical plant and cannot withstand cold drafts or temperatures, must be watered with warm water, and need bright light.

The yule log is a large piece of wood that is lit on Christmas Eve and burned throughout the Christmas holiday. It originated with the Celts, Teutons, and Druids early in history when the Roman Empire was in power. People would burn the log throughout the winter festival to celebrate the sun. Scandinavians believed that if they kept a piece of the burned yule log in their home, they would be protected the coming year from the god, Thor. They thought that this god would abstain from striking their homes with lighting because lighting would not strike burnt wood. The yole log was given Christian significance after Christmas was introduced as a state holiday. The Christians were unable to influence the pagans to give up their festivals, so they incorporated these traditions into Christmas giving them new meanings. For example, the light that came from the burning log symbolized the light that came from heaven when Jesus was born.

Holly, because of its shiny leaves and fruit-bearing ability in the winter time, was viewed by ancient peoples to have magical powers to produce healing and good. The Romans offered it to their god, Saturnalia, and in medieval times introduced it to England where it also was thought to be a sacred plant. Ivy was also associated with a god. It symbolized Bacchus, the god of wine. Later in history it became a common symbol found in taverns in England. Mistletoe was once worshipped by the Druids and Romans and, like holly, was said to have magical powers to produce healing and good. Because it is a parasitic plant that grows on certain deciduous trees thus being suspended in the air, it was thought to connect earth to heaven. It symbolizes peace and keeps evil away, so it was common to hang it in a home’s doorway and those who entered in peace were given a kiss.

The Christmas tree has become so popular that many would never consider celebrating the season without it. Uniquely, the tradition of the Christmas tree did not take root in America until the early to mid-1800’s. The Christmas tree was introduced slowly by the Germans, who migrated to America bring with them all their traditions. But the history of the Christmas tree can be traced as far back as to the early Mesopotamian kingdoms of 2000 B.C. They were the first to use the "Christmas tree" in their celebrations to celebrate the ending of the year and the beginning of the next. This twelve day festival was known as Zagmuck in Babylonia During this time the Babylonian king did mock or real battle with an enemy to mirror the myth of the battle the Babylonian sun-god fought against the powers of darkness. In this battle, the trees represented the troops of the god who had grown them from his light. Later in history, the Romans decorated trees in part with their religious celebrations, also. The tree did not become a Christmas tradition until the Middle Ages. It, like other greenery, was celebrated in pagan ritual as a giver of life, but was given Christian significance at this time. There are many legends as to how this change came about, but experts believe that it came about by the "miracle plays" that Christians performed in front of churches at Christmas time. The play depicted the story of Creation; the fall of humanity; and the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ for the salvation of all mankind. A tree was decorated with fruit to represent the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden from which Adam and Eve ate. This tradition of decorating the tree with fruit, wafers (to represent the Eucharist), and other goodies (in the form of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, etc.) was passed on through history.

These facts about Christmas were quite interesting to me. Now, I ask the question of myself and of you: What does Christmas mean to me and why do I celebrate it?

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Bevilacqua, Michelle, and Brandon Toropov. (1994). The Everything Christmas Book. Holbrook, MA: Bob Adams, Inc.

Maguire, Jack. (1992). O Christmas Tree! New York, NY: Avon Books.

Fred J. Becker, Architect's E-mail

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