Poinsettia - The Christmas Flower

Wow, Christmas is here again! My favourite time of the year and I believe it should be Christmas every day! Oh yeah...turkey...ham...stuffing...fruitcakes...Christmas trees...colourful ornaments...and PRESENTSSSSSSSSS!!!
The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes...(Frank Lloyd Wright)
Poinsettia...The Christmas Flower. Why? Because of its star-shaped flaming red leaves, it's also known as The Flower of the Holy Night? Hmm...still doesn't make sense to me.
Well...the Mexican legend tells the story of a young girl who was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. An angel encouraged her to gather weeds from the roadside and place them at the church altar where soon after, beautiful crimson blossoms sprouted from the weeds. They then became known as "Flores de Noche Buena" in Mexico, which translates to Flowers of the Holy Night.

Poinsettia's history dates back to good ole 14th century and if you read everything about this beautiful shrub, it's most intriguing how it has become a favourite holiday flower and it even has its own special day in a year: December 12 is National Poinsettia Day in the U.S. What on earth do people do on that day???!!!


The poinsettia with its star shaped foliage pattern has been connected with the Star of Bethlehem shining at the birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:1-21). The poinsettia's blood red leaves symbolize the blood sacrificed for love of God. Scriptural events connected with the poinsettia include the deaths of the Holy Innocents, babies killed by King Herod madly in search of Jesus (Matthew 2:13-18) as well as the Jesus' death and crucifixion (all four gospels).

Christmas 2009...only one word comes to my mind right now at 12.05am...Peaceful :)
It has been a crazy week preparing for Christmas and finally now, I am sitting down with an iced cold rum & coke, sharing with you all my poinsettia pictures. A mysterious plant to me. It looks plastic! I love the fact that its leaves are red and not its flowers. Very misleading but extremely attractive. Although it's been associated a lot with the birth of Christ...I see it more of a "Christmasee" plant. A must-have plant to have in the house during Christmas, just cos it's bright red, haha!!! A plant that never fails to bring joy and smiles to people during this festive season.

Christmas happens everywhere every time someone reaches out to touch another life with love. (Carol Duerksen)

Christmas--that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance--a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved. (Augusta E. Rundel)

It is so true. Christmas is always a time for me to be still and remember all the good and bad times, and the good always outweigh the bad, haha!

A thought for you: What is Christmas to you? Have you touched another life with love???