Have a Holly Jolly Holiday

Pipestone County Star – 12-20-12

There are some plants that I associate with the holidays because they’ve always been there.  People always put up mistletoe, there are holly berries in all the wreaths I see, Christmas trees are in abundance and you can buy bright red amaryllis for everyone on your Christmas list.  Why those plants?  Is there a special meaning behind them?

Mistletoe:  Mistletoe was considered by the ancient Celts as a remedy for bareness and an antidote to poison, though the actual reason for kissing under it is unclear.  According to the legends, the mistletoe can’t touch the ground between the time of its harvest and the time it is finally thrown away.  If a young man and woman kiss beneath it, he must remove one of the berries from the plant and when all the berries are gone, kissing is no longer allowed.  Medically, mistletoe has several uses, both for circulatory diseases and for cancer treatments.

Evergreen trees:  Because evergreen trees are just that, ever green, they have been a symbol of eternal life for thousands of years.  Garlands, trees, and wreaths have been used as decoration as far back as the Egyptians, the Chinese, and Hebrew culture.  They were made popular by the Germans and were typically decorated with nuts, dried fruits and apples that the children could pick off and eat.  Colorful glass balls replaced the apples at some point, and history took over from there.  Now there are so many colors and shapes of ornaments, I don’t know where to start!

 Most often, Fir trees are used since they have the added bonus of not shedding their leaves when they dry out (note that for next year) and it has become more popular now to either have a tree that grows in a pot and remains alive, or to have an artificial tree to decorate.

Holly:  It turns out that holly has no deep meaning at all – it’s just the right color at the right time.  Holly leaves are evergreen, glossy and dark, and the berries, typically red, ripen in the winter, providing a beautiful contrast of color with the snow on the ground.  Once the frosts have reduced the berries toxicity, birds eat them happily.  They are toxic for humans and will cause vomiting, though some species of holly are used to brew teas that have the highest caffeine content of any natural substance.

Amaryllis:  The bulbs sold in stores as Christmas gifts are from the species Hippaestrum and are easy to grow indoors.  Their colors are typically dark pinks and reds, giving color to indoors during the winter seasons since they will grow as long as they have water and light – they do not need to be outdoors to be beautiful and hundreds of thousands are sold each year to grace dining room tables around the holidays.  They do not have a specific meaning to the holiday, but I LOVE getting one from my mother every year!

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that you have great plans coming up for the New Year.  Happy Holidays!!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library! The Book Sale is THIS COMING WEEK from December 26 until December 28!!  Stop in and find some good deals today!!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club meets the fourth Thursday of each month (except December) in the Meinders Library conference room.  The next meeting is January 24^th at 7:00 PM and the book is The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman.  Everyone is welcome. 

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.