Hello Friends!
This week we will be putting a post up everyday until Christmas. Today I thought we'd kick off the week's holiday posts with a history of poinsettias. Poinsettias are traditionally used around Christmas time and are known for their red and green color. Poinsettias were brought to the United States in 1825 by Joel Roberts Poinsett (which is from whom their name derives from), and were brought to Mexico from Egypt! In Mexico they are known as Flor de Noche Buena, which translates to Christmas Eve Flower. Poinsettia were not associated with Christmas until the 16th century when the legend of a young girl too poor to present a present for the celebration of Jesus' birthday placed weeds in front of the church alter, as instructed by an angel. The weeds sprouted to resemble the poinsettia we know today. The star-shaped leaf pattern of the poinsettia is also said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood sacrifice through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, further tying it in to Christmas traditions.
A couple lesser known facts about the poinsettia includes that the poinsettia is toxic. Although the poinsettia's toxin is only mild, if the toxins get inside an eye cavity the eye will temporarily go blind. Another fact is that the poinsettias are different colors throughout the seasonal year.
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