05 West – Holly
Louis Norman Day – Donor
Holly as a winter decoration predates the celebration of Christmas, having been particularly noted in association with Saturnalia, the winter pagan festival superseded by the celebration of Christmas. Likely because of its use in pagan and Celtic winter traditions (it’s not native to the Holy Land, nor able to grow well there), Christians have adapted the holly tree for their own use during Christmas – the sharp leaves are said to symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Christ, while the berries represent his blood. The evergreen quality of the tree is metaphoric for eternal life.
See also: 7 West – Crown of Thorns.
I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it. –Isaiah 41:19b-20