Category: CHRISTMAS
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POINSETTIA
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Poinsettia Lisa Karen Miller In the 1820s Joel Roberts Poinsett, America’s first Minister to Mexico, brought his wife a new plant he had found there. Little did they realize their family name would be associated forevermore with Christmas. December 12th is National Poinsettia Day…
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LEMON
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Lemon Lisa Karen Miller Lemons tend to be associated with hot weather – lemonade, lemon bars, and lemon-spiked iced tea are all summer favorites. While they may not immediately spring to mind when you think of the yuletide, they have long been a key ingredient…
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CINNAMON
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Cinnamon Lisa Karen Miller An ancient book of remedies was translated from the original Arabic into Latin. The book recommended darsini for pains. This was translated as arsenic. The Arabic word for arsenic, however, is in fact zarnich. Darsini means cinnamon. More than…
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LAMB’S EAR
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Lamb’s Ear Lisa Karen Miller This plant’s furry, silvery-green leaves do indeed resemble a lamb’s ears. In late spring, it sends up a stalk of lavender flowers, but it’s the leaves that just beg to be touched. It’s another great plant to introduce children to…
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HELLEBORE
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Hellebore Lisa Karen Miller In Dorset, England, the Christmas, or Lenten, Rose (Helleborus niger) should be planted at the doorstep, to “welcome Christ into your home.” Conversely, it brought bad luck upon those who picked it. One of the few plants that flower in…
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FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Frankincense and Myrrh Lisa Karen Miller Gold, I knew. Everyone agreed it made a more than acceptable gift. In addition to announcing that the one being gifted was special indeed, it also signaled that the giver was not short of a dollar or two. …
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FIR
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Fir Lisa Karen Miller Although the popularity of the Christmas tree is attributed to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, it was Queen Charlotte, Victoria’s grandmother, who introduced it to Britain. George III’s wife was German, and she loved the custom of bringing an evergreen inside…
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CORDIALS AND LIQUEURS
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Cordials and Liqueurs Lisa Karen Miller We depart from our one plant per column format today to discuss cordials and liqueurs. These medicinal drinks originated with those healers and scholars in holy orders, monks. The alcohol preserved the essence, or spirit, of the plants, while the…
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CHRYSANTHEMUM
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Chrysanthemum Lisa Karen Miller “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40 On a snowy Christmas Eve in Germany’s Black Forest, a wailing was heard outside…
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BAYBERRY
THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Bayberry Lisa Karen Miller Best known to us as a source of fragrant Christmas candles, the bayberry, or Myrica cerifera, grows wild on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. Legend tells us that if you light a new bayberry candle on Christmas Eve, you…
Folklore of Plants 