I am a rose
of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. ~ Song of Solomon 2:1
The poinsettia has become the traditional
Christmas flower. Although it is treasured in all parts of the world as a
symbol of
Christmas, it can be traced back to an old Mexican legend. A poor
peasant girl going to her church to visit the manger scene on Christmas morning
was broken-hearted because she had nothing of beauty or value to offer the
Christ Child. On her way, she picked some weeds from the side of the road and,
as her only possession in the world, laid them at the feet of the statue of the
Virgin Mary. Miraculously, they were transformed into the scarlet brilliance of
the poinsettia we know today. The poinsettias remind us of Joel Robert Poinsett, for whom the plant is named. He was born in Charleston in 1759 and
was a planter, botanist, statesman and our country's first minister to Mexico
from whence he first brought the plant to Charleston in 1829. Now it is used
throughout the world at Christmastime. The bright, blood-red poinsettia has become
the most popular of all Christmas flowers. The star of the leaf is said to
represent the star that stood over the Christ Child. The red flower stands for
the blood of the male infants that King Herod had slain. The red flower also
represents the shed blood of Christ who came to be our Savior.
Christmas, it can be traced back to an old Mexican legend. A poor
peasant girl going to her church to visit the manger scene on Christmas morning
was broken-hearted because she had nothing of beauty or value to offer the
Christ Child. On her way, she picked some weeds from the side of the road and,
as her only possession in the world, laid them at the feet of the statue of the
Virgin Mary. Miraculously, they were transformed into the scarlet brilliance of
the poinsettia we know today. The poinsettias remind us of Joel Robert Poinsett, for whom the plant is named. He was born in Charleston in 1759 and
was a planter, botanist, statesman and our country's first minister to Mexico
from whence he first brought the plant to Charleston in 1829. Now it is used
throughout the world at Christmastime. The bright, blood-red poinsettia has become
the most popular of all Christmas flowers. The star of the leaf is said to
represent the star that stood over the Christ Child. The red flower stands for
the blood of the male infants that King Herod had slain. The red flower also
represents the shed blood of Christ who came to be our Savior.