In this episode, I share the Legend of Holly and Christmas Trees. Then we chat about The Twelve Days of Christmas ending on January 6th,-- So keep your tree standing until after Little Christmas, and there are ways it repurpose it to extend the Joy.
Related Stories (and Episodes) and Helpful Links:
Legend of Holly & Christmas Trees
Ellie’s Living Christmas Tree
Repurposing Christmas Trees
Ep 23. Season of Love, All About Poinsettias
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I'd love to hear about your garden and nature stories. And your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. Thanks so much for tuning in.
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Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer
AskMaryStone.com
More about the Podcast and Column:
Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.
It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.
Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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Ep 139. Legends of Holly and Christmas Trees
Sat, Dec 16, 2023 2:03PM • 9:51
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
holly, garden, tree, christmas, day, christmas trees, christmas tree, card, mom, porcupine, dilemmas, grow, gathering, ornaments, decorations, legend, add, love, remember, legends, , mary stone, garden, nature, inspiration
SPEAKERS
Mary Stone
Mary Stone 00:00
Hello fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone and welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens, it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.
Mary Stone 00:26
Hello there, it's Mary Stone on a cold screen porch, and is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And we are in mid Hanukkah. I call it the merry season of love no matter what the holiday is that you celebrate. And I've been decorating a bit at a time rather than making it a marathon. And that is because I'm getting over the bug that I shared that I had last week. And I'm thankful for those of you that gave me your good wishes of good health and I have improved and so I am grateful.
Mary Stone 00:57
So my Mother Earth face pot is now adorned with evergreens from the garden, my favorite thing to do, gathering finds from the garden and along the road. It's been kind of fun to decorate a little at a time and enjoy and relish each tradition. And I'm reminded of a story about the Legend of Christmas Trees and Holly I look forward to sharing. But before that, I want to thank those that reached back after last week's chat about Honey Locusts, the Porcupine of Trees, which included remedies to prevent porcupine damage in the garden. And I had sent the photograph of a porcupine that I had come upon on the Appalachian Trail when I submitted the column to the newspaper. And the editor whose name is Melissa said that she had not known that porcupines climb trees. Yes indeed, especially when startled by hikers such as I. Anyway, on to this week's story which starts like this.
Mary Stone 01:50
Hello fellow readers and listeners. In search of a special Christmas card I found one at our local Tractor Supply. The cover intrigued me The Legend of the Christmas tree it said with an artist's rendering of a man on a horse pulling in Evergreen towards a log cabin nestled in the woods. The legend told was of a monk named Wilford. During the early days of Christianity, he struck a huge oak tree as an object of worship, which fell to the ground and four pieces. From the center grew a fir tree. He told His followers - see how it points towards the heavens. Let this be called the tree of the Christ child. Gather about it. Not in the wilderness but in your homes. There it will be surrounded with love and gifts and rites of kindness.
Mary Stone 02:41
Finding the Christmas tree legend card inspired me to deck the halls. I saved the green bin of cherished ornaments from dear mom that my sister gathered for me for last. As I opened the lid, a Christmas card with the holly branch was on top of the treasures. Inside was a note on a three by five card. Mom always carried three by fives in her pocket. She stacked them on the counter and next to her reading spot to jot down to dues and tidbits of wisdom she came across. On the three by five my sister wrote, here's a card from Mom's collection. I thought of you since the wishes come with a horticultural lesson. She added a smiley face as mom always did. Usually with the smile beyond the circled face. The holly tree outside mom's old bedroom has red berries, which shows beautifully against the dark green leaves. So pretty. It was fun actually, because I was there in Virginia over Thanksgiving. So I got to see that very same Holly tree that mom used to enjoy when she lived with my sister her last years before her dementia journey required a nursing home. Dot added her holiday wishes then PS Don't you love the green three by five card also for mom's collection. Of course.
Mary Stone 04:00
Inside the box of goodies, the frosted glass candle is what I remember the most growing up with a berried Holly branch. We rarely lit the candle, and I'll burn it sparingly too, never wanting to run out of the flame that decorated our holiday home for so many years. Yes indeed. Isn't it fun to pull out decorations from your past and your childhood and cherish them and remember the times growing up in the memories that still exists in our hearts today and forever.
Mary Stone 04:33
Mom's unused Christmas card opens to the Legend of Holly which starts with because Holly grows in most parts of the world for centuries it has been a decoration at festivals. In ancient times people believe that anyone who wore a wreath made of berries would be gifted with a second sight. Second Sight means by the way, seeing things others don't, including what's to come.
Mary Stone 04:57
Holly bears fruit and stays green in winter and thus it's become a symbol of immortality. The card explained and went on to share several legends. One says that Holly was the burning bush from which God spoke to Moses in the wilderness and ends with few of these legends persists today, Holly has become a traditional Christmas decoration, and its beauty needs no further explanation. Whatever the legends and traditions you celebrate, it's all about love, which never ends, I wish you and yours the blessing of health, peace and love. Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone.com.
Mary Stone 05:40
So I have to talk about something else since we have some time and that is I always have this, I don't know what you would say - I've always had this kind of feeling that I don't like to cut down a Christmas tree. I mean, sort of like I like to eat chicken, but I don't want to be the one to you know, harvest the chicken. So anyway, I tend to use my artificial tree or a living tree whenever I can. And so this year, I'm going to be putting up the artificial tree once again. Because somehow at the very end of Christmas, when people get rid of their Christmas tree, I don't have that sadness, because I can reuse that, Mr. Artificial year after year. Which brings me to the topic of repurposing Christmas trees. And I think we have a little time so I'm going to share that story and it starts like this.
Mary Stone 06:32
You know, my heart sinks. When I see Christmas trees tossed to the curb side right after New Year's Day. I want to knock on the door and share that it's not even the 12th day of Christmas yet. Most know the legendary Carol - The Twelve Days of Christmas which begins on the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree. But many don't know that the 12 days of Christmas begins on Christmas Day, and it ends on January 6, when three wise men come upon baby Jesus. So keep your tree until after a Little Christmas. The 12th day of Christmas is also called Three Kings Day, the Epiphany, or Little Christmas and surely justifies keeping your tree standing until at least a few days after that. That is unless you use the living balled and burlap or container tree my favorite, in which case only seven and 10 days inside a heated home as suggested. You can check out a previous story on Live Christmas Trees for how to I will put a link in the show notes. But even after January 6, it still feels sad to see Christmas trees thrown on the side of the road unless your township gathers them to turn them into mulch rather than putting them in a landfill. Beyond mulching them though there is more joy these beauties can provide. And then I go on to list how to extend the joy.
Mary Stone 07:53
Why not move your undecorated tree outside keeping it in the stand? Then add heartshaped ornaments for Valentine's Day. Shamrocks for st Patty's day, and other wintry decorations or finds from your garden that tickles your fancy. Or adorn your retired Christmas tree with bird foods such as suet and bird seed made into ornaments. Or frost pine cones with natural peanut butter than roll them and bird seed. Even unbuttered and unsalted strung popcorn looks charming. After a winter of enjoying your tree outside, turn it into an animal shelter come spring. If you have a woodland area or permission to add to someone else's, place it in a brush pile, or create a habitat for fish or water insects by sinking your tree in a pond with permission of course. Jason from Washington, New Jersey said has treated his as a structure to grow climbing beans or cucumbers. Great idea Jason. Santa would be proud.
Mary Stone 08:52
It's so fun to think about what you can do with your tree after Christmas and how you can extend the joy and just makes it easier to move that tree along. So thanks for coming by and joining me each week on the screen porch. I really appreciate it. It's been such a joy to watch our community grow. And it's because of all of you. I wish you a merry season of love. No matter the holiday you celebrate. See you next time.
Mary Stone 09:21
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden Dilemmas.com and on Instagram at hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden Dilemmas, Delights and Discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.