While the use of holly is rooted in pagan lore, many Christian legends have developed over the centuries to the point that it is now linked with Christmas. In some parts of Britain holly was formerly referred to merely as Christmas, and in pre-Victorian times ‘Christmas trees’ meant holly bushes. Even so, “Decking the Halls with Boughs of Holly” is an ancient custom several thousand years old. In fact, the ancient Romans, Greeks, Chinese and Druids all decorated their homes with this plant.
Today, the evergreen holly symbolises eternal life and is associated with Jesus Christ. The bright red berries represent the drops of blood He shed on the cross; their color also represented the burning love for God present in the hearts of the faithful. The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns the Roman soldiers placed on Jesus Christ’s head.
Christian legend says one winter night, the holly miraculously grew leaves out of season in order to hide the Holy Family from Herod’s soldiers and it has been an evergreen as a token of Christ’s gratitude ever since.
Another legend about this Christmas plant says that a little orphan boy was living with the shepherds when the angels came to announce the birth of the newborn king. Having no gift for the baby Jesus, the child wove a crown of holly branches for its head. But when he lay it before Christ, he became ashamed of it’s poverty and began to cry. Miraculously, Jesus touched the crown and it began to sparkle while the orphan’s tears turned into beautiful scarlet berries.
Some legends say that Christ’s cross was made from holly because the rest of the trees of the forest refused to be defiled by being used for the cross. In refusal they supposedly splintered into tiny fragments at the touch of an axe, but holly allowed itself to be cut. While we associate it with Christmas today, early pictures of the saints have included the presence of holly to indicate the saints were reflecting upon Christ’s crucifixion. In fact, the word “holly”–is believed by many scholars to be a corruption of the words “holy tree”
In Germany, holly is called Christdorn in memory of Christ’s crown of thorns. According to legend, the holly’s branches were woven into a painful crown and placed on Christ’s head while the soldiers mocked him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews.” The holly’s berries used to be white but Christ’s blood left them with a permanent crimson stain.
Some British farmers put holly on their bee hives, stemming from a legend that bees hummed in honor of the Christ child on Christmas.
Scripture
(Matthew 27:29) When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
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