12 Popular Christmas Plants

Good Witches Homestead

Plants such as holly, ivy, and mistletoe had been used in celebrations long before the advent of Christianity and the Christmas celebrations we know today. Evergreens were used to ward off evil spirits and celebrate new growth during the Winter Solstice Festival as early as ancient times.

As Christian traditions became prevalent in western Europe, greenery was kept as part of the celebrations but ascribed new religious meanings. If you’re curious why today we decorate the Christmas tree, or how mistletoe became the excuse to steal kisses, and what new plants have been gaining popularity as Christmas plants lately, now is the time to make yourself a nice cup of tea and scroll through the gallery of Christmas plants we’ve assembled.

Rosemary

rosemary

The quintessential holiday herb, rosemary is as classic as the Christmas tree. Its association with Christmas dates back long before the poster child poinsettia had anything to do…

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Christmas Tree

secretsoftheserpent

The Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually evergreen or artificial tree, associated with celebrating Christmas. In todays politically correct world they are calling it a Holiday tree. This ensures more people will spend money on a tree. Ultimately that is what Christmas is all about. Making money. Where did this idea of putting up a tree to celebrate the birth of a god come from? Let’s take a closer look.

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La Befana Cake: Honouring The Old Witch of Winter – Gather Victoria — Good Witches Homestead

According to Italian anthropologists and authors Claudia and Luigi Manciocco, Befana’s origins back to Neolithic beliefs in a great goddess associated with fertility and agriculture. Author Judika Illes writes, “Befana may predate Christianity and may originally be a goddess of ancestral spirits, forest, and the passage of time.” In the book Vestiges of Ancient Manners […]

via La Befana Cake: Honouring The Old Witch of Winter – Gather Victoria — Good Witches Homestead

Mushrooms

secretsoftheserpent

A symbol I find very weird for Christmas is the mushroom. You can even get mushroom ornaments to hang on your tree. Mushrooms are not just Christmas symbols. They are in children’s stories and architecture. The symbol of the mushroom is in some of the oldest pictures and architecture. I even saw a nativity seen with mushrooms in it. Time to show where this symbolism comes from.

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Bells

secretsoftheserpent

What do bells have to do with Christmas? Bells have been used throughout antiquity and were even wore on Jewish priestly garments. I even read an article that said the bell reminds his that Jesus is the High priest. Most will tell you the bell is used to announce the arrival of the Christmas season like it announced the arrival of the birth of Jesus. Let’s get on with the truth.

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Candy Canes

secretsoftheserpent

Christmas would not be Christmas without candy canes right? It is the number one selling candy that is not chocolate in the month of December. Ninety percent of candy canes sold are sold after Thanksgiving. 1.76 billion candy canes are made in just the United States alone. No one really knows how they got their start. I’m going to show you couple ideas on they origin, but then I will show you the truth.

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Star of Bethlehem

secretsoftheserpent

What was the star that the three Kings, Magi or wise men were following going go the birth of Jesus? Was this actually a star in the heavens? Just like all the other problems with Christianity, no one knows what star it was. This is supposedly the most important star in the history of the world and they have lost it. The star that says, “This is your God” and they forgot which one it was! For those of you who have read my work, you already know what the star is, but to my new readers this will come as a surprise.

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Wildcrafted Winter Solstice Decorations with Conifers, Holly, Ivy, Bittersweet, and More

The Druid's Garden

Decorated mantle with greenery, ribbon, and a nice candelabra

Part of the fun of the holiday season is “decking the halls” and decorating for the season. By bringing the symbols of the season into our homes, for festivity and communion, we are able to deeply align with the living earth and her turning seasons. And the symbols of this particular season, at the winter solstice, span back millennia: deep red berries and dark green conifers, trails of ivy, mistletoe, and other evergreens. Adding to this, the symbols of the season are also reflected in mythology, such as the battle between the Oak and Holly king and the Goddess Frigga’s wheel of the year. These symbols have been with us for centuries in one form or another, and weaving in and out of whatever dominant tradition that is present. And so, in this post, I will explore how we might…

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Lore of the Christmas Rose

Good Witches Homestead

COMMON NAME: Christmas Rose
GENUS: Helleborus
Species, Hybrids, Cultivars:
H. niger “Angustifolius”-small flowering, pure white form. H.n. “Praecox”-blooms September-February. H.n. “Major,” H.n. “Multiflorus”-smaller flowers.
FAMILY: Ranunculaceae
BLOOMS: Winter
TYPE: Perennial
DESCRIPTION: This plant, which grows to a height of 12 to 8 inches, has interesting evergreen leaves that are slightly toothed and divided into seven to nine leaflets. The large white flowers are 2 inches or more across, with bright yellow stamens in the center. The blossoms turn pink or purplish as they age.
CULTIVATION: Christmas roses prefer sandy, neutral soil rich in humus. They do best with a bit of winter chill, and they need heavy mulch to protect them from the summer heat. Protection from winter storms and severe weather will also benefit the plants. Winter sun, summer shade, and ample moisture throughout the year are the perfect conditions for the Christmas rose. Plants can be divided in…