Holly Berries A6 Card

The colourful red berries that brighten the branches of the holly tree in late autumn and winter are a symbol of 'Christmas joy' and 'good cheer'. Other folk names for holly include 'bat's wings', 'Christ's thorn' and simply 'Christmas'.

 

Folklore says that a sprig of holly picked on Christmas Day and brought into the home will provide protection against evil spirits and malevolent witches during the Christmas and New Year festivities. It is also prudent to bring evergreens into the home during the cold season as they provide shelter for elves and fairies who in return will watch over their hosts!

 

A legend tells of a little hunchbacked girl who lived with her penniless parents in the Italian Alps. Her ailing father was very cruel to her and her mother wept all day for their son who had left home to work far away in the city.

When Christmas came the little girl worked hard to please her parents, but to no avail. As she sat crying outside in the snow, the Angel of Christmas came down from the heavens. He took pity on her and granted her three wishes, but the girl did not wish anything for herself; her first wish was that her brother return home, her second was for food and money to pay the rent, her third was that her father be well again. When she went inside she found all her wishes had come true, but instead of being grateful, her parents banished her upstairs.

The little girl sat weeping by an open window, looking out into the forest. As she wept she was surprised to see that her sorrowful and heartfelt tears turned red as they touched the pure-white snow. A green bush appeared from the earth gathering the shiny red tears amongst its branches as it grew.

As the girl sat watching the angel appeared to her a second time, and she realised her hunchback was magically gone and her back was straight. This was the child's reward, and the holly forevermore bears its glistening red berries at Christmastime as a reminder of her selfless wishes.