While the phrase “It’s tradition!” is often used to explain why we decorate our homes in certain ways during the holidays, the answer isn’t always informative. So why do we use plants like poinsettia and mistletoe?
Known as the “Flor de Nochebuena” or Christmas Eve’s flower, the poinsettia has been used during the holidays since the early 1800s when it made its way to the United States thanks to the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett, for whom the plant is also named.
David Hillock of Oklahoma State University offered more information on the plant in a recent article for the college.
“According to Mexican lore, a young child named Pepita didn’t have a gift for baby Jesus,” Hillock said. “All she had to offer was a hand-picked bouquet of weeds,” he said. “Angels felt compassion for the girl, and after she placed the flowers at the nativity on Christmas Eve, they transformed the weeds into beautiful red flowers. Legend says this is why red and green are the colors of Christmas today.”
While more and more Americans are opting for fake Christmas trees instead of the real thing, poinsettias remain a popular addition in most households and was ranked the number one Christmas plant, according to Parade.
The second plant on Parade’s list is mistletoe, which also carries strange lore and traditions, most notably that of smooching.
According to History.com, the romantic history of the plant is believed to date back to the first century A.D., originating from the Celtic Druids.
Because mistletoe could bloom in the depths of winter, the Druids saw it as a magical sign of life that gave both humans and animals hopes of fertility, History.com reports.
In the Victorian era, holidays, marriages, and other special occasions often saw the use of a “kissing” ball made of mistletoe and other decorations. It was used as a symbol of love and devotion that has carried on until today.