The Christmas Rose
Madelon, the littlest shepherdess, was impressed at the regal bearing and fine clothes of these strangers riding camels. They told her that they were going to visit the newly-born King of Kings. Since she was poor, and had no gift, she cried. An angel floated down and asked her why she was crying. When she told him, he waved the scented flower in his hand, and the path to Bethlehem was suddenly edged with sweet-smelling blooms. Madelon ran to catch up with the Magi, gathering flowers as she went. When she arrived and presented her flowers to Jesus, he laughed and touched them, and they were tinged with pink.
The Rosemary
When Jesus was born, the rosemary was just a plain green plant without fragrance or blossom. One day as the holy family travelled to Egypt, Mary stopped to wash some of the baby's clothes in a stream. Looking about for something to hang the little garments on to dry, Mary chose the rosemary bush and hung Jesus' clothes upon it. As Mary gathered the dry clothes together, she blessed the rosemary with blue flowers to match the colour of her own cloak and a spicy fragrance as a remembrance of Christ's garments.
The Poinsettia
In one village in Mexico it was customary for each person to place a gift on the altar of the church for the baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. One Christmas an angel told a small child to take some dried up weeds he'd found along the road to the church for the baby. When the child placed the weeds on the altar, they turned into the first poinsettia. Since then the flower has been called “The Flower of the Holy Night” or “Flame Leaf” in Central America (Flor de la Noche Buena). Its botanical name, Euphorbia Pulcherrima, was given to the plants by the German botanist, Wilenow. Dazzled by its color, he named it ‘very beautiful’.
The Fir Tree
It is said that the fir was the original “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil” and that when Eve reached out her hand to pick the Fruit of Life, the leaves of the tree shrank and became tiny needles, out of embarrassment. Adam carried a twig from it out of Eden with him, as a reminder of what had happened. A series of events led up to it being the selfsame tree from the descendants of which the Cross was made.
The Ivy
The ivy was shorn of its pagan meanings and given Christian ones instead. It is tenacious because it clings to a support; it thrives in the shade and the sun would burn it; and it is evergreen. The first quality reminds us of devotion, closeness, and friendliness. Its need for support echoes our own need of divine sustenance. It also symbolises eternity and resurrection. During Christmastide, it is said that ivy must never be used to decorate the inside of a house; the outside of a building represents mortality.