Written by: Nabiha Bari
It is that time of year again where the houses are starting to deck the halls with boughs of holly (fa-la-la-la-la-laa). Whether it be a wreath on a door, a poinsettia as a gift, or sneaking a kiss under a mistletoe, flowers hold a significance to the Christmas tradition, just like any other holiday.
There are so many different flowers that are recognized during the holidays, and yet not many would know the reason behind finding jolly cheer in a poinsettia or holly. As my gift of festive cheer, this blog will focus on some of the well-known Christmas floral, bringing you the gift of knowledge.
Mistletoe
The mistletoe has always been seen as the classic Christmas rom-com movie, or the dares third graders would pull on each other. Not only is the mistletoe a romantic touch to the holidays, it is also used for medical reasons. However, it is extremely poisonous if eaten, so be careful around children.
With no surprise, the mistletoe is one of the four traditional plants adopted from Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus, hailing it as a long time tradition.
Even with the Christian background, the plant also partakes in Norse mythology. It is said that Odin’s son, Baldur, was prophesied to die. As seen in motherly love, Frigg, Bladur’s mother, went to all the animals and plants of the world to secure an oath that they would not enact any harm to him. Her downfall was underestimating the mistletoe, who she did not consult to. Taking advantage of this, Loki made an arrow from the plant to kill Bladur. While some versions end the story there, others state that the gods resurrected Baldur, resulting in Frigg declaring the mistletoe as a symbol of love, and vowed to kiss all who pass beneath the plant.
Yet even from these enriched stories, historians still explain the kissing tradition did not really become popular until the late 1600s in England, and there is no explanation as to why. It was seen that men were allowed to steal a kiss from a woman if they were caught standing under the mistletoe. Unfortunately, consent was not seen as an important factor at that time, and it was seen as bad luck for a woman to refuse the kiss. Once the exchange was done, one berry was plucked from the mistletoe. Once all the berries were gone, the plant was done as a sign for a kiss.
Through it all, the mistletoe is hoped to still be seen as a sign of love and romance. During the holidays, use the flower as an opportunity to show some love, sneaking a peck to your significant other, parents, and other loved ones.
Poinsettia
The classic of all Christmas flowers is the traditional poinsettia, the gift we give to all. It is the flower we give to our teachers, neighbors, or family friends during the holidays. It has been recorded to be the most popular houseplant during the Christmas season, selling around 8 million every year. While the red is the most traditional, white and pink are found to be beautiful centerpieces as well.
Surprisingly, the eye- catching red petals that signify the plant as the Christmas decor are not truly petals. They are actually bracts, the upper leaves of the plant. The flowers are instead in the middle of the leaves, usually green or yellow. The popular
flower originates from Central America, where they flower during the winter season.
Just like the mistletoe, the poinsettia is part of Mexico’s Christmas legend. It has been told that there was a poor girl who could not buy a present for Jesus when he was born. Instead, she brought him a bouquet of weeds from the side of the road. When she placed it at the Nativity scene, the weeds transformed to a bouquet of beautiful red poinsettias.
Bring some festive cheer by decorating the house with some poinsettias, or give these flowers as a traditional gift to your family and friends. Not only do they look beautiful, they can last up to 4 to 6 weeks under quality care. At times it can last up to 2 to 3 months if you are gifted in green thumbs.
Christmas Rose
The Christmas rose looks as beautiful as it sounds. These flowers bloom during the winter months, blooming in a snowy white 
color, sometimes in pink. Unlike what the name says, the plant is not actually a rose, but instead part of the buttercup family. It was named after its similar resemblance to the wild rose, and it’s heavily associated with Christianity.
Like the poinsettia, the story of the Christmas rose revolves around the birth of Jesus through a shepherd named Madelon. It was said Madelon was tending to her sheep during a winter night, when the three wise men and a group of shepherds passed by bearing gifts for the newborn. Upon realizing the occasion, Madelon was saddened she did not have a gift for the babe, and began to weep. An angel looking down saw her tears, and went down to help her. The angel brushed away the snow to reveal a white flower with tips of pink, the Christmas rose we see today.
The flower can last for months in the garden, fading from white into pink later. Give an unconventional gift this winter, sharing the story of love and hope along with the flower.
Christmas has been difficult during these past couple years, with the pandemic preventing families from gathering around a tree filled with presents and sharing moments. Yet, all three of these flowers show how important love and hope are, and through the bleakest of moments, a flower will bloom to help. Share the message of love and hope this Christmas, either through the form of a flower, or through acts of charity, catching up with family, and spreading the meaning of this season. Spread floral to all, and to all a festive night.
Sources
https://www.appleyardflowers.com/flowerdiaries/traditional-christmas-flowers-plants/
https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/holly1.htm
https://www.clareflorist.co.uk/blog/2011-11-christmas-flowers-the-meaning-of-the-christmas-rose/
https://www.history.com/news/why-do-we-kiss-under-the-mistletoe#:~:text=Delighted%2C%20Frigg%20then%20declared%20mistletoe,widely%20incorporated%20into%20Christmas%20celebrations
https://www.travelfranceonline.com/mistletoe-christmas-plants-symbolism/
Images Sources
https://society6.com/product/branch-of-mistletoe_print
https://fineartamerica.com/art/paintings/poinsettia