December 12th is National Poinsettia Day in the United States. The date marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American botanist, physician and the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 1825 to 1829. He shared his love for the Poinsettia when he sent cuttings from Southern Mexico to his home in Charleston, South Carolina.
In Mexico, where the plant is called La Flor de la Nochebuena (Flower of the Holy Night), Poinsettias have featured in the nativity procession—the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre—since the 17th century. Mexican legend has it that a little girl, too poor to buy a gift to present to the Christ child at the nativity scene on Christmas Eve, gave baby Jesus weeds she picked from the side of the road. Given in love, the weeds were transformed into the beautiful red stars of the Poinsettia.
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And so the Mexican association of Poinsettias with Christmas continued in America. On one level, the red leaves fit right in with all things Christmas—red nosed reindeer, Santa, bows, ornaments, and candles. On another level, red symbolizes love and the blood of Christ. Whether you are enchanted by Poinsettias for their legendary charm, Christian symbolism, or their decorative beauty, they are now one of the most popular plants in the world. Annual sales are 90 million units and the global retail impact is nearly one billion dollars. In the United States most of the $250 million in retail sales occur in the six weeks leading up to Christmas.
Over the years, I’ve been the beneficiary of Poinsettias in the prelude to Christmas for various reasons. Last December when recovering from eye surgery for a hole in the macular and a partially detached retina, my aunt blessed me with gorgeous Poinsettias in a twin basket.
This year when hosting a chapter meeting for Little People of America, I received a beautiful Poinsettia as a hospitality gift from one of the members.
I’m also enjoying the Christmas decorations at church that incorporate both red and white Poinsettias.
So in this season of Christmas giving, it’s time for me to bless family and friends with Poinsettia gifts. No need to worry if they have one already. The more Poinsettias they get the more magnificence they have to delight in.
So what part do Poinsettias play in your Christmas?
You may also like to read:
- Poinsettia Plant Care Instructions, https://www.ftd.com/blog/share/poinsettia-care
- National Poinsettia Day – Poinsettia Colors, Symbolism, Facts & more! https://alwaystheholidays.com/national-poinsettia-day/
- Angela Muir Van Etten. A voice for people with dwarfism and disability guided by faith and justice. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/blog/
2 replies on “Poinsettias and Christmas”
Thank you for sharing the history of this beautiful plant. May God bless you both this Christmas and in the New Year.
I enjoyed the story of the poinsettia in Mexico.