But Give Me Holly, Bold and Jolly!
Holly is used to decorate houses at Christmas time and is a symbol of the season. Like many symbols, its roots can be traced to older celebrations.
Holly was used in the time of the Romans in the Saturnalia. This was a festival devoted to Saturn, the god of the harvest. It was a time of much merry making, taking place on December 17th. The Romans decorated their homes with holly and other evergreens. It was supposed to symbolize good luck.
For Christians, Holly also symbolizes Jesus Christ’s crown of thorns. That’s because its leaves are spiky and the berries symbolize his blood.
Here’s a poem by Christina Rossetti, about holly and other plants…
But Give Me Holly, Bold and Jolly
A ROSE has thorns as well as honey,
I’ll not have her for love or money;
An iris grows so straight and fine
That she shall be no friend of mine;
Snowdrops like the snow would chill me;
Nightshade would caress and kill me;
Crocus like a spear would fright me;
Dragon’s-mouth might bark or bite me;
Convolvulus but blooms to die;
A wind-flower suggests a sigh;
Love-lies-bleeding makes me sad;
And poppy-juice would drive me mad: –
But give me holly, bold and jolly,
Honest, prickly, shining holly;
Pluck me holly leaf and berry
For the day when I make merry.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:09 am
But Give Me Holly, Bold and Jolly
A ROSE has thorns as well as honey,
I’ll not have her for love or money;
An iris grows so straight and fine
That she shall be no friend of mine;
Snowdrops like the snow would chill me;
Nightshade would caress and kill me;
Crocus like a spear would fright me;
Dragon’s-mouth might bark or bite me;
Convolvulus but blooms to die;
A wind-flower suggests a sigh;
Love-lies-bleeding makes me sad;
And poppy-juice would drive me mad: –
But give me holly, bold and jolly,
Honest, prickly, shining holly;
Pluck me holly leaf and berry
For the day when I make merry.